The Tutor
by ChampagneTasteBeerMoney
Summary: A Glee AU where Sam teaches Mercedes lessons in love. Spuckcedes triangle with a dash of Klaine. Disclaimer: I own no characters from Glee nor any songs used in this story.
1. The Spanish Tutor

Mercedes hated Spanish. Not to disrespect anyone's culture but she couldn't help but wonder what's the point of learning another language if the master one is English? She hated how it always sounded like everyone was speaking miles a minute and she couldn't catch a word. She hated how her teacher made her get a tutor after getting another 50% on a quiz. Okay, maybe Mercedes didn't really hate Spanish, but Spanish sure did hate her. Spanish loathed her with a passion.

"This is so stupid," Mercedes told her friend Kurt, while shutting her locker. "I'm not even doing that badly! I mean, 50% only means that I understand half of the material. To say that I just started learning this year, that's kinda good right?"

"Not if that means your GPA will go to shit." Kurt responded. "Mercedes, you're my best friend. I don't want you to have to go to another school because of this."

Mercedes, Kurt and hundreds of other opulent or academically gifted students attended Quetin Academy, one of the top Prep schools in Ohio. Mercedes has always been the top of her class at her old public school but going to Quetin has definitely given her the challenge her parents were looking for. She liked being pushed to stretch her brain and was doing quite well, she just wished she didn't have to be so challenged when it came to finding friends. Kurt came to her rescue when he noticed her red Chuck Taylors and her matching headband outside of her clashing plaid uniform. She complimented his conductor hat and messenger bag and they have been friends ever since.

"I won't have to go to another school Kurt." Mercedes held his hand. "I have 3.4. Even if I fail, I'll still have the required average to stay here. "

"But you won't fail, right? You don't need looking for reasons to get you to join that damn Choir group again."

Kurt and Mercedes walked together hand in hand to the library where her mystery tutor was waiting for her.

"So, who do ya think the tutor will be?" Kurt asked.

"I don't know. My bets are Mike Chang. He's super smart."

"And super handsome. Did you see that boy's body during gym class? Rude. Positively disrespectful." Mercedes laughed as Kurt shuddered and pulled her closer to him. "Mm, I'm getting the chills just thinking about him."

"It could be Santana though."

"Lopez? Oh God. Imagine what a nightmare that'll be."

"Why? It is her second language—"

"Yes, and her first is Bitch. She'll be meaner to you in private than she is in public. No witnesses. Girl is the devil incarnate in a Catholic uniform." Santana Lopez reinvented the meaning of bully. She made them look like fairies and flowers. Santana was mean and she was clever. There was a time where she induced a girl's gum with non-toxic glue. The girl tried to tattle on her for cheating, naturally Santana made sure she kept her mouth shut. She would personalize her efforts, once Mercedes opened her locker to have a bunch of tater tots fall on her with a note signed "With love". She had no qualms with her pranks being found out because there was nothing the faculty could do. Her father was a doctor and her mother was the mayor. Although they are divorced, the school gets funding from both parties and they can't risk it. Principal Figgins would give Santana a slap on the wrist and she would continue to rage. She was unstoppable.

Mercedes sighed, thinking about the torture that would be her existence if Santana was her tutor, "Look as long as I get an A, I guess I'll just have to grin and bear it." The two stood outside of the Library's double doors. As Mercedes was about to enter, Kurt stopped her and peered through the window trying to find any inkling of the potential tutor.

"Kurt, what are you doing?" Mercedes asked.

"You think I'm gonna let you deal with the wrath of Satan alone? No way. I'm checking the scene out. Cover me."

"It's a library, Kurt." Kurt disappeared. Mercedes stuck her face to the Library's window to see Kurt ducking and diving like he was on a real secret mission. _That boy needs help, _Mercedes thought. Suddenly, Kurt flew out of the door, clutching his heaving chest.

"So?" Mercedes anxiously rubbed her hands.

"Mercedes Jones, your tutor is Sam Evans."

Mercedes' eyes bugged and Kurt bit back a smile beginning to flail a little. Unable to control their feelings they jumped around and shared an excited scream, employing the librarian to come out and shush them. They apologized and quietly had a friendly slap fight, squealing. You don't understand: This was Sam Evans. Popular, smart, accomplished and _well-endowed_ Sam Evans. Word in the halls is he's a player, but not because he uses and abuses girls. They come to him, knowing his repuation, more than willing to be another notch in his belt. Apparently, he is quite the lover and basically has a line of girls waiting to be his next victim. It is inferred that Sam Evans doesn't have a girlfriend because technically he's dating the whole school. Still, Kurt and Mercedes were infatuated.

"Are you sure? I mean, maybe he was studying—" Mercedes quipped.

"No, no. He had a cute little sign up that said, "Spanish Tutor". Mercedes, he's your tutor!" They jumped together giggling again. Kurt then cleared his throat and regained his composure. "Now go forth, my child. Go forth into the library and absorb the sexiness and the overall inconsiderate being that is Sam Evans. Then come back to the real world and give all the details!"

"I will!"

Mercedes was pulled into a hug with Kurt then released into the library. The students' heads were down in their books while some of their hands wrote notes simultaneously. Mercedes tried to control her breathing and smoothed down her blue and green checkered skirt. Any minute now, she would be face to face with a boy-no, a man that she had an eye for. Besides Kurt, Mercedes had never had any boyfriends. That is, boys who were just friends or the romantic term. In fact, her only friend back at Welsh High was Tina, a girl with candy highlighted hair she was just thrown together with somehow. Tina and Mercedes were misfits of their school, making them boy repelled. Unfortunately, even though she learned how to do her own hair and started to wear makeup it was the same result at Quetin. No one had ever given her guy advice or how to deal with a crush, so she'd just have to wing it.

Mercedes stood in front of the boy, tugging at her blazer and pulling at her hair out of nervous habit. He was stunning. Blonde hair, thick lips, and beautiful green eyes that aimlessly stared into the screen of his phone. Sam was on his iPhone playing Temple Run before he noticed the girl gawking at him.

"…Mercedes?" He asked, taking out his headphones. _I'll be anyone you want me to be, _Mercedes thought. She realized her mouth was open and nodded quickly. Sam smiled and reached over the table, extending a hand. Mercedes savored his touch, feeling tingles from his fingertips. "I'm Sam." He flashed his pearly teeth and invited Mercedes to sit down.

Mercedes sat across from him and brought out her _Adventures in Spain _textbook. Sam opened the one he borrowed from the library and stretched his body towards the sky, releasing a yawn. She just imagined what is would be like to be the fabric of his white button, getting to feel every inch of his cut torso and to be groped by his hands and tucked, _forced_ into his pants…

"I could be a shirt."

"What?" Mercedes' face sobered.

"What?" Sam nervously chuckled.

"I asked what you needed the most work on."

"…Everything." Sam's eyebrows raised and Mercedes shrunk embarrassed. It wasn't her fault Senor Schuester was a shitty teacher. In their after-class meetings, the same questions would always be asked.

'Why don't you ask questions in class if you're so behind?' _I raise my hand. You don't always call on me. When you do answer my questions, you embarrass me._

'Why don't you come to me after school?' _You aren't around because you don't pay attention to anyone who isn't the Choir._

'Spanish is an easy language. You're a smart girl, I know you can learn this. Why aren't you trying?' _I AM TRYING, YOU PRETENTIOUS FUCK._

Calling her parents and coercing them to make Mercedes join the Spanish club, that she quit within a week, did not solve the problem. She even tried to withdraw but it was too late in the semester. Mercedes even went as far as enlisting Tina and Kurt to help her study, but she still got lackluster grades. Tina was fluent in five languages, due to her large family tree. If she couldn't get Mercedes and the language to make nice, how was Sam Evans supposed to?

However, in a turn of amazingly awesome events, Sam just quirked a smile and said "I guess we have a lot of work to do then." Sam's cheeks dimpled. "Let's begin with pronouciation. It's the most important part."

For the next hour, Sam tutored Mercedes in Spanish, while the only thing she could focus on was his lips. It was as if the clouds and cotton candy decided to make babies and the product was Sam's mouth. She could hear the words he was saying and process them as gibberish, but it was still the sexiest gibberish she ever heard. Mercedes watched his mouth move as she repeated him absently. While she pretended that she was stuck on the word "escritorio" (desk), one of Sam's assumed admirers interuppted Mercedes watching his mouth sculpt a beautiful O.

"Hey, Sam." The blonde put a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and met her with the same grin that she effortlessly sported.

"Hey, Quinn."

"Watcha doin'?" Quinn asked softly, clutching her books to her chest.

"I'm just tutoring. This is Mercedes. Mercedes, Quinn."

Quinn sweetly greeted Mercedes, shifting her knees back and forth. Mercedes couldn't help but stare at her too. She was flaw free. Pretty, bronzed skin with hazel eyes and wavy blonde locks.

"Hi." Mercedes said back.

"So, do you have any plans after this?" Quinn inquired.

"No, I'm probably just going to do homework and some more SAT prep." Then Quinn's bare arm hung dangerously around Sam's shoulder, leaving the rest of her body to hover around him like a spider marking her prey. She leaned down, letting Sam sneak a peak down her Polo shirt and whispered something that made the boy blush beautifully. Mercedes saw the way her lips grazed the skin of his ear, making him visibly shudder. When Quinn was standing beside him again, he cleared his throat and said, "I'll see what I can do."

Quinn gave another innocent smile towards him and turned to Mercedes, "It was nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you too." Mercedes said, meekly. Quinn sauntered away, swishing her hips. If she wanted a boyfriend, all she'd have to do is act like that Maybe if she did that, she could attract boys like Sam or any boys at all. Mercedes was not boy crazy and knew she didn't need a man to know who she was as a person but even with the friendships she had with Kurt and Tina, she was still really lonely. Sometimes, she was fearful of the future. She wondered if she could, _would_ ever be loved for herself by a man without having to change. Can someone still want her as Mercedes and not someone else? Sadly, so far the answer was no because there weren't knocking down her door for a date. But that was going to change. She had a plan. Sam cleared his throat and patted his tie.

"Let's get back to the Spanish, shall we?"

"I want to be your next lover."

**A/N: Some tweakage went to these chapters, the originals are on Tumblr. I really wanted to do a HighSchool!Samcedes. Reviews are wonderful. Thanks. **


	2. Rejections and Exceptions

**A/N: I do not own any characters of Glee. **

"Wh-what?" Sam stuttered after what seemed like forever to Mercedes. Mercedes was in panic mode. She meant to say it but not out loud. It was too late to take anything back, so she let out air threw her nostrils and nodded.

"You heard me." Mercedes said, confident. Sam watched Mercedes' for any signs of her pokerface cracking. It was solid. This led Sam to break into laughter, forgetting they were in a library. The librarian reminded him, shushing him from yards away. He nodded towards her and turned back to Mercedes, who still had that same look on her face. Sam swallowed his smile.

"OhMyGodYou'reSerious."

Mercedes sighed and moved in to whisper, "Look, you've had sex with a lot of girls right? 'Cause the rumor is around school that you're kind of a slut—"

"Wait, what? Who called me a slut?"

"That's not the point. I want a boyfriend so I want to learn what boys like. Physically and mentally. Because you're…experienced, you'll be perfect for this. I want to have sex with you, so you can teach me some things and then you can go tell all of your friends about how great I was and they'll want to ask me out. It's a win-win."

Sam's jaw was working trying to find something to say to Mercedes' logic. He let out a few chokes of his air and then carded a hand threw his shiny, blonde hair.

"Mercedes, I'm flattered, really I am. And…yeah I guess…I have had sex with a lot of girls but if you want a boyfriend, this is not the way to go about it. Listen, I just met you and you seem like a sweet girl. I'll be honest with you. You're smart and you're cute. You could get a guy easy if you were a little more confident in yourself—"

"How do you know that I'm not already? It's not the confidence that's the problem it's—it's me. It's my damn naiveté that's getting me nothing and no one. I need an image and sleeping with you will get me that image." Sam was speechless. Mercedes definitely had the resilience thing down, but he couldn't see why she would just offer herself up to him like this. Well, having girls being down to fuck wasn't too out of the ordinary for him, but it never happened this way before. They would be seductive and alluring sometimes. But Mercedes was like the girl next door. Sweet and charming in her nervous aggression, constantly biting her lip and pulling at her hair. Something about the whole thing just felt wrong to Sam and besides even if she would learn things and be good at them, it didn't mean she would instantly be the want of every boy's affection.

"Mercedes, you want you're first time to be with someone you care about and who cares about you. I don't think you realize how intimate and personal sex really is. You shouldn't just waste it on any guy, okay?" Sam said sincerely, putting a hand on Mercedes' arm.

"I wouldn't be wasting it on any guy. It'd be with you." Sam sat back and huffed.

"Look, my answer is no. Now, I'll still tutor you, but you cannot bring this up again, _entender_? (understand)." Mercedes face scrunched into an even cuter pout, but she nodded. "Good." He slammed his book. "That's it for today."

The next day, Sam was walking his friend Artie to class. To add something to his college resume, he signed up for the 'Special Friend' program at Quetin. The requirements were little: hang out with a disabled student for an hour a week. At the end of each shift, said student would sign a log-in sheet. It was a highly offensive program to those considered, but Sam decided it would look great for Duke and Artie quickly became his best friend, sharing an interest in comics and Wes Craven movies. Sam pushed his wheelchair down the hallway, until Artie said he wanted a drink, so they stopped near the water fountain.

"Hey, can I tell you something?" Sam asked, with Artie's mouth still drinking. "And you have to promise not to tell anyone."

Artie poked his head up from the fountain, "Right, because the 20" rims of my wheelchair brings all the pussy. Of course I won't tell anyone. You're my only network, idiot. Now, mush." Sam started the wheelchair again. "What is it?"

"Yesterday, a girl asked me if I could be," Sam gulped "her _lover."_

"LOL," Artie said, while laughing aloud. "Say what?"

"I know, right? And who still says 'lover'? Is this the 19th century?" Sam stopped at Artie's locker. Knowing the combination by memory, he opened it and reached for his History textbook. Artie put the book on his lap and Sam started the vehicle. "And I cannot describe to you how I felt. I mean, I don't think I ever taken a girl's v-card before."

"That's flattering that she chose you, though."

"Yeah, I said that. But, I don't know it made me feel gross too. I feel gross. Am I gross?"

"Yeah, but I rather be 'Gross-Virginity-taking' guy than 'Disabled-Invalid-guy' any day." Sam made a sympathetic smile towards Artie.

"No one sees you like that." Artie made a 'bitch, please' face. "Okay, well the ones that do are dumbasses."

"Still _no one wants to be my lover_." Artie said in the same beat of Prince's song "I wanna be your lover" making Sam laugh. "Is she cute?"

"Yeah. Yeah, she's pretty." Sam admitted. "But I don't want to be 'Gross-Virginity-guy'."

"All right. Then don't be."

Sam nodded as they entered the elevator to the third floor for Artie's African-American History class.

"Artie?"

"Yo."

"Have you ever heard anyone call me a slut?"

* * *

Weeks after Mercedes' indecent proposal, Sam was still trying to forget about it. But that was hard, considering the girl wouldn't let him. Repeatedly she broke her promise, yet he never kept his either; Sam tutored Mercedes, who was trying his last nerve.

"Sam—"

"No."

"But—"

"No."

"Please?"

Sam spun around, making Mercedes take a step away from his personal space. After another Spanish lesson, she was hot on the boy's heels, following him all the way to the parking lot.

"Damn it, Mercedes! I thought we had a deal!" Sam yelled a little louder than he meant to.

"I know, but I don't understand why you won't help me. You have sex all the time, why should this be any different." Sam rolled his eyes and rubbed a hand over his face. This was getting exhausting. "I know! I'll pay you!" Mercedes reached into her purple tote to get out some of her saved lunch money, Sam grabbed her wrists and pulled her behind his Hummer.

"I don't like being thought of as a slut and _especially_ not a prostitute. Put your money away." Mercedes frowned, seeing that she offended him and closed her bag.

"I'm sorry. I just want your help."

"Mercedes, I am not going to help you like this. You want me to set you up? Fine—" Sam started.

Mercedes did not want to just be set up with a boy, even if he was one of Sam's friends. It was old fashioned, but she wanted a boy to chase after her. To use romantic ploys and tactics to get her to just give out a phone number. A dozen roses for a date. She wanted to be fought for. Besides, not of all of Sam's friends were great guys. She knew Sam's lies would compliment her at least, but she didn't trust others. If she didn't want to go any farther than kissing, who knows the kind of things they would spread about her. To be set up was a last resort.

"But—"

"I don't want to be the guy that takes your virginity and passes you off to other people, okay? It's very unbecoming and gross. I am not gross!" Sam shouted pointing to his chest, trying to convince himself rather than Mercedes. Something in her deflated causing her to fall against the back of his car and sigh heavily.

Mercedes spoke to him with her eyes shut, "Right, because the thought of having sex with me is gross." She said, matter of factly. Sam quietly stomped his foot out of frustration. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her feelings.

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that—" Sam touched Mercedes' arm, but she shriveled away.

"No, it's okay. God, I'm so stupid. I don't know, I guess I just wanted to know how it felt to be really wanted by a guy. Desired, even. To have someone touch me and kiss me and tell me I'm beautiful, even if they really didn't mean it. My mom and my friends say that if I wait, I'll find someone that will love everything that I am but…I'm just really scared I guess. Scared there'll be no takers. Scared that—_that no one will ever love me_. So, you know I want to have it, I don't care if it's superficial. I just wanted someone to want me. Is that so bad?"

Sam immediately dropped his book bag and Hockey gear to the ground, pulling the tearful Mercedes into him. She sobbed into his sweater as he stroked his fingers through her hair. Then, he stepped back and made her look him in the eyes.

"Mercedes, you are not gross. I know I said you were cute in the library, but I was lying. _You're gorgeous_. You in this uniform should be a crime, because clearly your curves can't handle it. You have the longest lashes I've ever seen and deep, soulful eyes. Your skin is so pretty and soft, and I just want to pinch the hell out of those apple cheeks of yours." Sam pinched her wet cheeks softly, making her smile a bit. "…But you have the most delectable and kissable lips, it's hard to just—" Sam's lips were stilled by the tiny girl standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. Sam deepened the closed-mouth kiss by cupping a hand on her cheek.

Mercedes could only compare the feeling to her actual first kiss, with Kurt. She had just arrived to Quetin and Santana was giving her warmest welcome. She cried in front of the school, not caring who saw. Kurt then sat next to her, taking some of the food from her hair. They finally looked at each other and Kurt gave her a chaste kiss. Mercedes asked what was it for, he told her _"Because the way you look right now is how I feel on the inside." _Kurt then took her hand and led her to his car, driving back to his house to be cleaned up. Sam's kiss was just as sweet and sincere she felt, but there was that element of lust she couldn't shake from her senses that obviously was not there with Kurt.

Releasing eachother, Mercedes breathed a 'Wow' and Sam held her gaze with both hands now.

"Mercedes, underneath any other circumstance, understand that I would gladly that tear this up." Sam said, eyeing the shape of her bottom.

She sniffled "Really?"

"Yeah. You're beautiful and once you fully realize that, I know other guys will too."

"But, you still don't want to sleep with me?" Sam smiled and shook his head. "The only two kisses I've ever had in my whole life was out of pity. How tragic his this?" She began to giggle and Sam pulled her in for another hug. He liked feeling her soft, round belly against him. It was warm and made him feel secure, like hugging a teddy bear.

"Okay." Sam said in a whisper. Mercedes popped back from him to read his face. His cheeks blushed from the cold, telling her nothing.

"_Okay_, what?"

"Okay…I'll do it." Mercedes began to jump and clap, smiling like a kid on Christmas morning. Sam raised his hands, trying to get her attention. "Hold on, hold on! I have conditions!"

"Name them!" Mercedes exclaimed. Sam began to count off on his gloved fingers.

"One: We go at my pace. Two: My house is not an option. Three: You cannot, I repeat _cannot _tell a soul, all right? Especially not your friend who walks around in the boots and the fancy hats." Mercedes face dropped. "What's wrong?"

"My house isn't really an option either. My brother's family is staying with us for a little while. He got laid off." Sam made a frustrated noise.

"Fine, but my rules are subject to change, okay?" Sam opened the trunk for his things before wiping some excess snow sludge from them. After shutting it, took out his keys to unlock the doors.

"When do we start?" Mercedes called after him.

"After our next Spanish session!" Sam yelled out the window, before driving away.

**A/N: Like I said, the originals are on Tumblr. Some tweaks were made. Thanks for all the reviews guys, I really do love them. **


	3. Biting Tongues and Boyfriends

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of Glee.**

A/N: Hello. I just wanted to thank you all for the feedback and the views. You guys are completely amazing. In some of the reviews, I think I sensed some confusion and maybe even anger about Mercedes and Sam's characters. So, instead of messaging you guys personally and telling you my intentions I decided to do a character analysis of each. I'm probably jumping the gun by doing this, but w'ever.

**Mercedes:** Mercedes begged for Sam to take her virginity. Was this desperate? Yes. Absolutely. But, it doesn't necessarily mean that she does not have confidence in herself. I suppose I was laying it on thick when she went into the monologue of low self-esteem, but generally she is a headstrong girl. She had no problem going to one of the most popular guys in school and asking him to have sex with her. Not out of desperation per se, but to boost her own creditbility with her peers. Mercedes does in fact have confidence, she just utilizes it in the wrong places.

Also, being confident doesn't mean that you can't be insecure. We are our own worst critics. No matter what anyone tells us, we can still find the smallest thing wrong with ourselves. Like I said, maybe I overkilled it with Mercedes but she's just a girl. A teenage girl, at that. I mean, self-doubt is what comes with adolescence. Here we see a little more of it than in the show(if it's there at all), but I think it needed to happen for this whole concept to work.

Lastly, I want you all to understand that Mercedes is not just choosing to throw away her virginity. Yeah, she doesn't know Sam; she doesn't love Sam (yet). But she is making the choice to lose it with a guy who is experienced and can potentially help her get better at it for someone special. Mercedes is completely in control of the situation. It's not that she doesn't believe that the right guy will never come for her. It's just that for now, in high school, she wants to have her pick of the dick, if you will. Instead of settling, after Sam gets her ready, her plan is to date casually and become popular.

Mercedes knows that she has friends that love her and doesn't need a man to validate herself. Also,she understands that love is something that can't be rushed and there is someone waiting for her. However, this is the mass-consumption era and she's a little greedy: she's wants the boyfriend, the popularity and the short-lived fame of it and she wants it now. Mercedes' confidence is not absent just misguided.

**Sam:** Some of you expressed concern when Sam told Mercedes that he didn't want anyone to know about their arrangement. Sam doesn't put his conquests out in the open like that, it's just something that people know about him through hearsay and probably some of the girls he had slept with. The plan is for other guys to *think* that Mercedes is naturally good at all of the stuff she'll learn from Sam. Once they both think she's ready, Sam will start saying things to other guys so they'll want to approach her themselves. As well, Sam still doesn't feel good about the whole deal, so he doesn't want anyone to question him on it.

Sam and his harem have a very standard casual sex agreement. Although promiscious Sam has ensured that he is never 'the other man'. He does not condone cheating and never broke up a relationship. The interactions between them depend on how much the girl cares for Sam : A lot to a little (you'll see this later). For example, Quinn and Sam are just friends that fuck. Does this mean that Quinn or Sam never wanted to become something more? Not exactly, but this is the understanding they have and decided it was better to be followed rather than complicate matters.

To me, to be a slut in its core definition is to be sexually liberated. He is not a user but he is not a lost, badboy. Like every male, he likes sex.

In a way, I like to think Sam and Mercedes switched personalities in this fanfic. Mercedes is naive but big-hearted Season2 Sam and Sam is smart, a little nonsense Mercedes without the slut connotation.

I hoped this cleared some things up for you guys. If you still have questions, comments, concerns, leave a review or hit me up so we can chat personally, if ya wanna.

ON THAT NOTE...enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Sam took Mercedes to his house for their last tutoring session before Christmas break. He thought this was the perfect opportunity to just nip this in the bud while the reason why the Evans' residence was'nt an option was still away: his family. They pulled into the driveway and Sam leaned over to turn off Third Eye Blind from his radio. Mercedes just sat in wonder, looking at the three story house through the fogged window. The two did not have to trudge through the snow, for the pathway was freshly paved. Sam and Mercedes entered the mansion and she looked up spinning slowly.

"I feel like I'm in the Queen's palace or something…" Mercedes uttered, noting the tinsel that cascaded down the grand staircase.

There was a smell of spices and smoke coming from the kitchen where she followed Sam. Mercedes was in the doorway as she watched Sam greet a woman in an apron with kisses on the cheek. The rest of their conversation was taken in Spanish, speaking like they haven't seen eachother in years. Finally, the woman gestured to quiet girl in the doorway.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Mercedes, this is Rosa. Rosa this is my classmate, Mercedes." Sam introduced them. Rosa's deep hourglass body stepped towards Mercedes, her cat eyes glowing. _It must be Sam's lot in life to be surrounded by beautiful women_, she thought. However, it was clear that he and Rosa only shared a familial relationship when she licked the back of her thumb and rubbed his cheeks roughly.

"Hello! You are so beautiful!" Rosa said to Mercedes with an accent so thick she would have thought Rosa was acting.

"Goodness, thanks." Mercedes giggled.

"You know, Sammy always brings around these skinny stick girls who never want to eat anything! You have curves! I like girls who eat! They take care of themselves! Are you hungry, Mercedes?" Rosa asked, while stirring a spoon in a bowl. Sam rolled his eyes.

"Starving, actually." Mercedes has not eaten the whole day. Because this was the day that her sex education began, Mercedes decided to treat it like she would an actual date. She shaved her legs, spent hours on her new hairstyle, wore pretty underwear and no meals because she didn't want to bloat. Therefore, when that acceptance of food subconsiously slipped out, Mercedes cursed herself and her growling stomach.

"Alright, I'll make some snacks while you and Sammy work." Sam nodded for Mercedes to follow him up the stairs, while Mercedes silently prayed that Rosa wasn't making anything with beans or onions.

After passing the bathroom with a jacuzzi and a closed door, they were in Sam's room. _I am in Sam's room, _Mercedes thought. On the walls were posters of comic book superheroes and 90's bands. Sam had a glass case of miscellaneous trophies. Baseball, hockey, debate, MVP for Peewee football. She tried to think about what Kurt would want her to do in this situation: _"Take the underwear, Mercedes. TAKE THE UNDERWEAR!" _Kurt's voice was now locked away in a dungeon. To keep him there, Mercedes sparked a conversation.

"So is Rosa the reason you know Spanish so well?" Mercedes asked, taking off her coat and sitting on Sam's king-sized bed.

"Yeah, pretty much." Sam put his hockey gear in closet along with his outerwear. "Rosa practically raised me. She's been my mom and Miguel was like my brother."

"Miguel?"

"Her son."

Before kicking his boots off, he passed Mercedes a black picture frame. Inside was a pre-teen Sam in matching baseball uniforms with a slightly taller, floppy haired boy. He sported a gapped-tooth smile with a Louisville Slugger in one hand, Their arms were on each other's shoulders.

"Is he still around?" Mercedes fingered the tip of the frame.

"He's in the army now." Sam said, taking the picture from her and putting it back on his shelf. "I don't talk to him very often."

"Oh." Then, Sam went to join Mercedes on his bed. Mercedes took a deep inhale. Was this it?

"Mercedes, I know that we are supposed to start your…_other_ tutoring today and I'll keep my promise. But, since I don't want you to keep asking when were going to begin, I brought a timer." Sam pulled out a tiny kitchen timer from his back pocket. "Now, I'm going to set it for an hour and thirty minutes. We'll study for that long and then we'll get into the…_other_ stuff. Fair?"

Mercedes nodded. "Good." Sam said, then clapped his hands together, "So, I know you had a test?"

"Yeah." Mercedes shuffled through her bag to find the marked test and textbook.

"How'd it go?" Mercedes passed him the crumpled paper.

"72."

"That's a start, but I know you can do better. Let's start with the sentence here…"

Soon, Sam and Mercedes were lost in the fictional real life mishaps of the characters in the textbook. They helped the American travelers introduce themselves and their families, order food and know how to say objects found in a bedroom. In the middle, Rosa came in with Quesadillas, gladly without any bad-breath starters for Mercedes. When the little timer finally buzzed, Mercedes and Sam gulped in unison. It was time.

Sam put the textbook on the floor and looked at Mercedes' big curious eyes. He decided to make one last ditch effort not to make a mistake.

"You know, Mercedes—"

"Sam—"Mercedes groaned.

"Just listen for a minute? You know we don't have to _do _anything. I could just _tell _my friends we fooled around for a bit and you could still get what you want."

"It's not the same! I want to learn these things so I can be prepared when it happens for me and I want to prepare—"

"With me. I know, I know." Sam sighed, realizing there was no talking her out of this. He drew in another breath, trying to figure out where to begin. "Okay, so maybe it's best that we start with kissing. It's the most important factor with physical relationships. For me, anyways. I'm sure you've heard the theory 'Kissing is like talking with tongues'. _So not true_. Kissing is like what pronounciation is to Spanish—"

"If you mess up one sound, your entire conversation could go in a different direction." Mercedes said. Sam smiled, a bit startled and impressed that she quoted him exactly.

"Yeah. It's not just the girls who rely on kissing to read where the relationship is going: It's the guys too. Um, 'Is she a prude?' 'Is she looking for a relationship?' 'Does she want to get it on?', those questions can be answered with a kiss…Are you taking notes?"

Mercedes peeped her head up from her notepad, "Shouldn't I be?" Sam huffed and shook his head, taking the notepad from her and throwing it near the pile of her things.

"Okay, now, from our kiss last week, I could tell one really good thing: you have soft lips."

Mercedes smiled complacently, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. This means you're allowed to wear lipstick or lip gloss without having to worry about it being a rough, nasty mess when you kiss your guy. Naturally, girls who use a lot of lipwear are good kissers because they spend a lot of time puckering. But you can't always be sure."

Without any kind of warning, Sam clasped a hand around Mercedes face and pressed his lips to hers. As she was about to react, he pulled away.

"Yeah, you're a good closed mouth kisser." Sam said, licking his lips to taste the mango lip gloss. Mercedes was at a loss for words so Sam took that as a sign to continue. "Now, there's tongue. The rules on how and when it is appropriate to use tongue varies. Depends on the person, place and time. Also, there's the factor is how much tongue is enough, and a lot of people just say 'use the alphabet method' but I find it ineffective and slobbery. So, we'll use my technique." Sam put his fingers in the waves of Mercedes' hair about to kiss her again, then he stopped.

"Am I going too fast?" He wondered aloud.

"No." Mercedes said, quietly.

"Tell me if I am, okay?" Sam said, eyeing her pretty mouth. Mercedes nodded. Sam leaned in to kiss Mercedes. There mouths were just pressed together first, then Sam lowered his lip, taking in her bottom lip as well. He sucked lightly making Mercedes moan a little. Sam moved up to mesh his tongue with Mercedes'. He teased, letting their tongue's touch then separating them. He guided Mercedes' tongue into his mouth, before letting go.

"See?" Sam felt a little breathless but he didn't want to look like a rookie to someone who enlisted his services. "Just follow your instincts-" Mercedes cut him off with her lips.

Mercedes' mimicked Sam's previous movements, teasing his tongue. His hand palmed the back of her head. Sam had no intention of breaking the kiss, so Mercedes had to. If she wanted to. Seconds later, Mercedes was on Sam's lap, straddling the heat between their crotches. Sam made a gutteral noise trying to keep his cool as his fingers almost squeezed her ass underneath her skirt. He held her close as she slowly bobbed in his lap.

Suddenly, Sam felt a sharp pain in his mouth. His tongue felt like it was going to split in two. He felt teeth on his tongue. Mercedes' bit his tongue.

"Did I do something wrong?" Mercedes asked, leaping off of him after hearing the strange sound he made.

"You bit my tongue, Mercedes? Really?" Sam's speech was made thick because of his now throbbing muscle.

"You said, 'Follow your instinct'!"

"Yeah, not animal instinct!" Sam went tinto his bathroom, checking for blood although he didn't taste any. He went back into his room to find a worried Mercedes. "Look, Mercedes maybe this was a bad idea—"

"No! No, Sam! I'm just learning! I promise I'll get better, please? I'm sorry." Seeing Mercedes pleading eyes and sweet begging, he folded.

"Okay, but that's it for today."

Sam walked Mercedes to his door.

"So, I'll see you after break?" Sam nodded.

"Are you sure you don't want me to drive you home?" Mercedes shook her head.

"I'll take the bus. Have a merry Christmas, Sam. Nice meeting you Rosa!" Rosa popped out of the kitchen to wave to Mercedes. About to shut the door, Mercedes stopped him. "And Sam? Thanks."

"No problem." Sam gave a sincere smile. He gently closed and locked to door to have Rosa staring him down.

"Why are you talking like that?" She asked.

"Don't ask."

* * *

"I don't believe you." Kurt said, braiding Tina's bubblegum pink hair. The last night before winter break ended, Mercedes decided to host a sleepover. She sat near her bedpost watching Kurt style Tina's hair like one of the Whos in the _How the Grinch Stole Christmas._

"But there's nothing to tell—" Mercedes tried to explain for the umpteenth time.

"Who's Sam again?" Tina asked, grabbing a fist full of white cheddar popcorn.

"Sex God who could be mistaken for Ryan Gosling's brother." Tina scrunched up her face while Kurt leaned over her to get some popcorn. "Mercedes, it's been weeks since he first started tutoring you and nothing has happened? Not even a little kiss?"

Mercedes rolled her eyes and pushed herself against her purple headboard. Sam's voice resounded, _You can't tell a soul. Especially not your friend who walks around in the boots and fancy hats._

"No." Mercedes cheeks became hot when she thought about Sam kissed her. It was like a rush through her whole body. Kurt shook his head lightly with his newly appointed pigtails waving about and grabbed some pretzels.

"Kurt, you better not be getting food in my hair—"

"Well, the semester's not over yet." Kurt cut off Tina, picking out some excess popcorn from her scalp. When he finished Tina's transformation into Cindy Lou Who, Kurt handed her the zebra-print mirror to admire the swirly braids. Kurt then crawled closer to Mercedes and Tina joined them from the floor to her bed. "You still have time to make Sam Evans your love slave!" He grabbed the knees Mercedes was holding close to her chest and grinned widely.

Honestly, she hadn't even thought about a relationship with Sam coming out of all of this. Mercedes just wanted to become Quetin's hottest commodity. She was just using Sam as the beltway to lead her to other hotties and eventually popularity. Nothing more, nothing less. Somehow though, the thought of having him be her love slave made her insides tingle.

"Is Sam Evans really all that?" Tina pointed.

"Is he—?" Kurt ran off the bed to rummage through his sequin night bag for his phone. As soon as he found it, Kurt showed Sam as the screensaver. Tina's eyes and mouth made and inaudiable 'Whoa.'

"I have got to transfer schools." Tina said, still ogling the picture of Sam without a shirt on the school's track field. Mercedes leaned over to see the photo too, then quirked an eyebrow at Kurt.

"How did you even get this?"

"I am a trained stalker when it comes to people who look like Ryan Gosling. Even women."

School started again and it was already kicking Sam in the face. The work wasn't hard, he could get through all his classes sleeping and still get A's. However, managing that with all of his other extra-curriculars and still trying to keep up with his social life was getting to be a load. There was no time to rest during break with the twins' home from boarding school and his dad and Janine back from Costa Rica. Sam was always glad to be with his brother and sister, but it was his parents that were the headache. His father was constantly berating him about how he needed to continue to be the best and started all of his sentences started with 'I didn't get where I am by…' while Sam pretended that it didn't bother him that his stepmother was only nine years older than him.

After another day, Sam was at his locker trying to figure out what he needed to take home, until it shut automatically.

"Mm, Sammy Evans." Santana stepped in his way and Sam made a heavy sigh. He wasn't in the mood for this today.

"Hi, Santana." Sam said, monotone.

"So, where the hell you been for the past couple of weeks?" Santana played with the knot of Sam's monogrammed Quetin tie. "Missed you at Kurofsky's New Years' party." Santana placed Sam's hand right under her bare mound, naked from lack of underwear. "This missed you too."

Oh, she was dirty. Sam hastily looked around and took back his hand from Santana's skirt.

"We can't do that here, Santana."

"All right, then come over."

"I can't. I have to tutor." Santana scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"What, some brain dead retard can't do without you for one day?"

"Santana, that isn't nice." Sam said earnestly. Santana pushed him against the lockers, putting herself flush against him. She worked her hips slowly on his heat, making Sam involuntarily growl.

"From what I remember," Santana tucked his hair behind his ear and whispered softly on his lips. "You like me naughty." She quickly bit on his bottom lip and skipped away from him, reclaiming her innocence.

"Santana? Really?" Sam was still frozen on the lockers when Mercedes made her presence known. _God hates me, _Sam thought.

"How long have you been standing there?" Sam asked.

"Long enough." Mercedes shrugged while strutting towards him.

"We don't have a session today, you know." Sam spun the knob on his combination and began to walk. Mercedes followed.

"That's not what you told Santana." Sam huffed and pulled his book bag over his shoulder.

"Mercedes—"

"Why her? She's so…_evil_." Mercedes visibly shuddered thinking about the cruel mistress. Sam smiled at her.

"No one really says 'no' to Santana." Couldn't argue with that.

"I guess that's true. You know what else is true? Before we go any further with our lessons, I'm gonna need you to get tested. I don't know what that thing gave you." Mercedes teased.

Sam pretended to be offended, "I get tested every three months, thank you!" While Mercedes laughed at him, Sam screwed up his face in disgust before saying to himself, "God, I really am a slut."

"I guess I can understand though. A little slice like her-" Sam stood to face Mercedes.

"I thought we went over this. Although its true that the girl is as mean as she is attractive, you're absolutely wonderful, Mercedes. Everything about you." Mercedes made a soft smile and they continued to walk again.

"So, do you guys have a good 'relationship'?" Mercedes made air quotes.

"Well, I kinda hate Santana so each time we have sex its really…aggressive, why am I telling you this?"

"Because, I'm interested." A lingering question bounced back and forth in Mercedes head until it escaped through her mouth.

"...Are you going to sleep with other girls while you help me?" Sam sighed and turned to Mercedes. He had a feeling something like this would happen because Mercedes was so new to casual relationships.

"Listen, there's another rule that I forgot to mention to you." Mercedes looked at him serious. "This," Sam gestured a hand between the two of them, "is no strings attached. What I mean by that is I am not your boyfriend and you are not my girlfriend. You cannot dictate what I do with other girls in my spare time and I cannot tell you what boys you can go out with." Mercedes started to giggle.

"What's so funny?" Sam asked, arms folded.

"Nothing," Mercedes said, still laughing, "It's just the way you said 'I'm not your boyfriend' reminded me of Chowder. It's a kid's cartoon." When Mercedes was finished with her private joke, she sighed and looked up at him, "Plus, I already knew that."

"Okay, good." Sam's mouth pulled a smile.

"Good." They walked together down the hall in silence, before Sam made it to the exit.

"You're staying after school today?" Sam asked Mercedes who quickly told him goodbye.

"Yeah, my friend's starting his fashion club. I better be there so he can take the attendance of one." Mercedes was about to continue running down the hall before Sam called out to her again.

"Hey, remember!" Mercedes turned around, her skirt turning with her. "_I'm not your boyfriennddd!" _Mercedes made a surprised squeal and clapped at his performance while Sam grinned at her cheekily before waving goodbye to her.

**A/N: Yeah, I hope the analysis above helped somewhat and I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading and reviews are amazing. **


	4. Mashing Up Is Hard To Do

**A/N: I suggest that you cue up the acoustic version of Beyonce's "Sweet Dreams" and Maroon 5's "Hands All Over" and play them when necessary to get a clearer picture. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Say it." Sam whispered, breathing into Mercedes neck. "I'm not going to continue unless you say it. _Right_."

Mercedes huffed and rolled her eyes, "_Mi padre es un dentista. _(My father is a dentist.)"

"_Muy bueno." _Sam licked his lips, then put them on Mercedes'.

Infusing Spanish with their make-out lessons was working like a charm. If Mercedes was being difficult and wanted to quit, Sam would bargin with kisses and she would immediately give it another try. Mercedes was a worthwhile student in both subjects. Her scores were improving in Spanish and she was gradually getting better in the kissing department. Actually, she was becoming a pro, making moves that often caught Sam off guard and left him completely breathless. Like a wrestler, she flipped Sam over and pinned him to his bed. It was so hot, he allowed himself to touch her. His hand would get a mind of his own and it would go up, up, slowly up her thigh. The only reason why Mercedes didn't object was because either she didn't notice or she thought if she said 'No' to Sam he would stop helping her. Though he reassured her that he would never put her in _that _position many times.

Sam was savoring the taste of Mercedes' new orange-flavored lipgloss while she subconsciously grinded him. Sam sucked on her lower lip, eliciting a moan from Mercedes. She ghosted her hands over his arms and chest. At their last session, Sam taught her the basics of necking. Mercedes decided to use what she learned on her teacher. First, she suckled lightly then her mouth became a vaccum, then lightly again. Gain pressure, release pressure. Sam was going crazy but she couldn't see it. He had to stop her, like always, because it was getting to the point of no return.

"Mercedes," Sam breathed out of pleasure. Then, he felt Khakis get a little tighter. This wasn't uncommon with Mercedes, the funny thing was that she would never notice. "Mercedes, please…please you have to stop. We're stopping now. Stop." He finally got himself to say.

"Did I do something wrong?" Mercedes said, worried.

"No…"

"Then how come you won't let me get farther than this?" Mercedes sat up, straddling his waist. Sam wasn't the only one sexually frustrated right now. All of these feelings were new, so the urges were stronger for her. "Come on, Sam. I'm ready." Mercedes playfully bounced on top of Sam's hard-on.

He fought his eyes from rolling back and Sam steadied her when he wanted to encourage Mercedes to ride him some more. "Mercedes…_Mercedes_…you have to stop doing that, seriously!" Sam threw Mercedes from his lap and ran into his bathroom.

She stood anxiously waiting for him to come back out, arms folded. He was taking a while so, Mercedes checked out Sam's DVD collection. _28 Days Later, Daredevil, Scream: The Anthology. _From the looks of it, the pair had little in common. Being strictly professional about their relationship, Sam never asked Mercedes about herself or got personal. Just looking around his room was the only way she could get to know Sam without feeling like she was prying. The toilet flushed and Sam came back into his room, looking a little more relieved. Mercedes got back into serious mode.

"I don't get it. You do this almost all the time." Sam blushed. It was true. "Either I'm doing something wrong or—"

"Trust me, Mercedes. It isn't you." Sam raised his hands with emphasis.

"Alright, then let's take the next step!" Mercedes stepped forward only for Sam to take a step back. "Come on! I'm ready for the the full monty!"

"The full—?" Sam shook his head and wiped his face. "Sit." He pointed to his bed. Mercedes did as she was told, smoothing the pleats of her plaid skirt. Sam joined her. "Mercedes, there are other ways to please a guy, you know."

"If you're going to go on some rant about 'It's what's on the inside that matters', I'm really not here for that—" He wanted to do that, actually. Just not so cornily put.

"No, I mean, you can satisfy guys in other _physical_ ways." Sam chuckled nervously and Mercedes still looked lost.

"How?" She asked innocently.

"You never heard of 'foreplay'?" Mercedes shook her head. This girl was as pure as the day she was born and Sam couldn't deny the fact that it turned him on. But he was trying to not be gross. _Don't be gross._ Until, "Will you show me?" She pleaded with doe eyes.

"I—I—I don't think that would be a good idea—" He stuttered.

"Please, Sam? I'd rather practice with you than go out with a guy I really like and be bad at it." The girls Sam was with never would show a real interest in him beyond sex. Sam didn't know why he thought this was any different. Maybe it was the gentle, slow way she touched him. Or the soft giggle she'd make before their lips conjoined. Either way, it stung.

"Okay." Sam sighed. "But not today, I'll show you on Valentine's." Sam could be with anyone on this day of love and he chose her. Mercedes grinned madly to herself. Sam said they weren't boyfriend/girfriend, but it definitely sounded romantic.

"What? Is that not a good day for you?"

She snapped out of her fantasies and nodded, "Yes. Sounds perfect."

* * *

Valentine's day soon arrived and love was in the air. Well, not really, but there was pink and white streamers hung in the halls and tons of red hearts on the lockers without the permission of the owners.

Mercedes left Kurt outside of his Home Economics class to silently stalk Sam near his locker. She was unsure of the status of their relationship outside of his bedroom. The only thing that was clear was that he was popular and she was just ordinary. Mercedes didn't want him to be upset at her for messing with the status quo but didn't have his number to confirm their session after school. So, with a huge breath she took big steps up to him, smiling into his locker laughing at something funny. When you were as beautiful as he was, you could just laugh at nothing and no one would think you're crazy.

"Hi." Mercedes said on the side of Sam. He turned to her, startled but still friendly.

"Oh, hey Mercedes." Sam's eyes went to the ceiling as someone behind him noisily cleared his throat. He stepped to the side to reveal a kid in a wheelchair, that stared shamelessly suggestive at Mercedes through his horn-rimmed glasses.

"Mercedes, this is Artie. Artie, Mercedes." Sam sighed.

"Enchante, ma cherie." Artie took Mercedes' hand and gave it a generous kiss. Sam's eyes rolled.

"Hi," She giggled. A boy never treated her so gentleman-like, even if she'd known them longer than 5 seconds. "So, Sam, I was wondering…if-if we're still on for tonight."

"Tonight?" Sam asked, shutting his locker.

"Yes. You said Valentine's day."

"Oh, shit. I did say tonight." Sam began to walk pushing Artie along, Mercedes followed. "I'm sorry, Mercedes. I forgot that I had other plans."

"You have other plans?"

"Yeah, I have to…_perform."_ Sam said, particularly low.

"Perform?"

"Yes," Artie interjected. "You see, Mercedes, Sam and I are a part of the Quetin Boys' Choir." Sam blushed, slightly embarrassed but Mercedes didn't mind. She now knew why there was a guitar in his room and she liked the thought of a guy that could sing to her. But that didn't matter, because they're not boyfriend/girlfriend.

"I didn't know we had a Boys' Choir." Mercedes responded.

"You wouldn't." Artie said.

"Yeah, see because there aren't many of us and we're not Schuester and Ryerson's darlings—"

"And because Rachel Berry is always on Schuester's —" Sam slapped Artie's shoulder before he could finish. "In short, we don't get much as publicity as the girls."

"But I thought you guys' were like, award-winning?"

"Again, that's the girls." Sam answered.

"Schuester hadn't even asked us if we wanted to compete and the only reason why we're getting as much stage time as we are tonight is because we're helping the girls with their number. Well, Sam is and a couple others."

"Okay. It's official. I hate this guy on brand new levels." Mercedes said. She thought she was just getting special treatment when would be douchey to her, but to his "beloved" choir members as well. Figures.

"It's really alright though. We more creative control this way." Sam smiled in Mercedes' direction.

"I know that's the fuck right." Artie started. "I'm co-assistant leader of the AV club. Mercedes? Ask me why their lighting is so shitty when they perform the National Anthem for rallies? And ask me who's the person that gave Berry's big ass nose it's own spotlight—"

"Hey, Artie?" Sam interrupted.

"Yeah?"

"Think fast!" With one big heave, Sam let go of the wheelchair handles and Artie went flying down the hall. Bodies jerked and dodged out of his way, while Mercedes looked at Sam with her mouth open.

"How could you do that?" Mercedes gasped.

"Oh, I do that all the time. He'll be fine." Sam said casually, waving his friend off. Mercedes clutched at her heart for Artie's safety, when Sam touched her hand. "So, I do have something to do tonight, but you should come. Watch us and wait for me after?" Sam flashed a perfect grin and Mercedes felt her heart flutter. This was not good.

"Doesn't it cost money or something?" Mercedes asked, trying to find an excuse not to go.

"Yeah, but only like $5. Besides, friends and family get in free! I'll give you my tickets." Damn it. She couldn't say 'no' now.

"Okay." The class bell rung. Students started to scramble to class and teachers shut their doors with a slam. The once busy hallway was now near empty. Mercedes gave a quick wave to Sam and ran away from him, remembering that her class was upstairs.

"Remember, 8 o' clock! Bring a friend if you want!" Sam called after her. Mercedes slowed her steps to give an awkward smile to Sam and continued to run. Sam shook his head and laughed to himself. Then, Artie rolled up to him, agitated.

"You're such a fucking bitch, Sam."

"Oh, c'mon," Smirking, Sam got behind the chair and held the grips, "You love me."

"No."

* * *

Kurt, Tina and Mercedes sat together in the center of Row D. Close enough to smell them, like Kurt wanted but far away so that Sam wouldn't think Mercedes sat so near on purpose. Tina jumped at the chance to be invited _anywhere_ considering her parents were having their own private party in her home and even pushed Mercedes for a girls' night (Kurt included). Mercedes declined, making up the excuse of babysitting her nephew Marcus. Truthfully, Marcus was out with his parents because they were the weird but cute family that celebrated Valentine's day together and needless to say or to think about, her own parents got a hotel for the evening. Tonight was the beginning of foregame. Or foreplay, she couldn't remember what it was called. Whatever it was, it was "for" this night and she already prepped her room for it. A friends' night for Valentine's day this year was out of the question.

"I cannot believe I didn't know about this." Kurt said distressed, flipping through the concert pamphlet. "I mean, I'm supposed to be the man's stalker for God's sake! How could I have missed this?" Kurt turned to Mercedes, then all around to see tons of families filing into their seats. Tina shrugged and dumped some more of the popcorn she bought at the Quetin concession stand in her mouth.

"Well, Sam did say they don't get a lot of publicity." Mercedes explained.

"I am thoroughly disappointed in myself. I should be fired. Tina, fire me."

"You're fired." Tina said with her mouth full. "Now, lemme see the program." Kurt passed Tina the small book with Quetin's seal on the front for a red and white striped box of half-empty popcorn. Mercedes shifted uncomfortably in the middle.

"But speaking of Sam," Kurt added nonchalantly, "I thought there was nothing going on between you two."

Mercedes side-eyed Kurt, "There isn't."

"Right, so he just decided to give you his extra family tickets for no reason. At all."

"Dude, the Girls' Choir has four times the amount members! It's like a _Girls' Army!"_ Tina interrupted, completely unaware of the last conversation taking place. She flipped some pages backward. "_Mashing Up is Hard To Do? _No wonder you transferred to this school, Mercy. These people are fucking geniuses!" Tina said with mock enthusiasm then looked at Kurt and said, "No offense."

"None taken." Kurt leaned into Mercedes and whispered, "Do you know what Brittany Pierce asked me in Life Science today? If I thought babies were secret vampires." Mercedes and Kurt shared a low snicker until the lights dimmed and a nervous young man graced the stage. The spotlight would have made him look albino if it wasn't for his thick auburn afro.

"Hello ladies and gentleman. My name is Jacob Ben Israel and I will be your MC for Quetin Academy's Valentine's Concert : _Mashing Up is Hard To Do._" His nasally voice went through the Pledge of Allegiance and announcements from the faculty to the parents.

His played with the frames of his black rectangular glasses and said "To the owner of a red Toyota truck, you left your lights on." Jacob waited for Principal Figgins to exit the auditorium with his 'Pardon me's' before continuing. "Now, what you all have been waiting for. The seventh best choir in the nation, the Quetin Girl's choir. Directed by Mr. Schuester and Mr. Ryerson. Enjoy."

The audience applauded as Jacob ran left then right off the stage.

"Have you ever seen them perform before?" Mercedes asked Kurt.

"Except for rallies, no."

The curtains drew back and their were three rows of girls standing on risers, wearing red halter dresses with tiny black bows in the creases of their breasts. In the front of them, were three lowlights showcasing three girls with boys shadowing them. The piano began to play softly and the lights brightened on the couples. They interchanged ballet with tango moves very gracefully.

**[Quinn]**  
_Every night I rush to my bed  
With hopes that maybe I'll get a chance to see you  
When I close my eyes I'm going out of my head  
Lost in a fairytale, can you hold my hands and be my guide?  
_

**[Santana]**

_Clouds filled with stars cover the skies  
And I hope it rains, you're the perfect lullaby  
What kinda dream is this?_

**[All]**

_I am in love with you you set me free  
I can't do this thing called life without you here with me  
'Cause I'm dangerously in love with you  
I'll never leave just keep lovin' me the way I love you loving me  
_

Tina, Kurt and Mercedes were singing along lightly with the choir. Although the dance was choregraphed to cover up most of the guys' appearences, Mercedes could make out some of the girls' partners, as well as Mr. Ryerson behind the curtain, clumsily doing the girls' dancesteps by himself. The spotlight shone brightly on Rachel Berry as she stared into it like it was her window to heaven.

**[Rachel]**

_Every time I see your face my heart smiles  
Every time it feels so good it hurts sometimes_

With the lights on full blast, Mercedes was now able to catch Rachel Berry's partner through her melodramatic singing. Sam.

**[All]**

_Created in this world  
To love to hold to feel to breathe_

Sam and Rachel locked eyes before she leaped into his arms and he held her to the sky.

**[Rachel]**

_To live you _

_dangerously in love..._

He spun her around like a propeller, high above the other two lead couples.

**[All]**

_You could be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare  
Either way I don't wanna wake up from you  
You could be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare  
Somebody pinch me, your love's too good to be true.._

**[Rachel]**

_My guilty pleasure I ain't going nowhere_

_Baby long as your here_

_I'll be floating on air cause your my_

**[All]**

_Sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare_

As she was craned down-slowly because her heavy nose was weighing her down, Mercedes figured-Rachel caressed the side of Sam's cheek and smiled graciously singing to him. He beamed back at her. Could he and Rachel have-? No. No way.

**[Rachel]**

_Either way I don't wanna wake up from you..._

**[Santana and Quinn]**

_I love, I love, I love, I love, I love you_

The music ended and the lights shut off. The audience jumped to their feet, giving thunderous applause, Kurt and Tina included. Mercedes' eyebrows furrowed.

"I may hate them, but they are _talented_!" Kurt defended with a wolf's whistle. Mercedes' yanked him down to his seat. Mercedes was not a hater; she could give props where it was due and the Girls' choir was very good. However, she couldn't stop thinking about Sam and Rachel. Why should it bother her if they had sex?

Kurt put a pointer finger into the concert pamphlet and pushed a specific spot, then pushed the book into Mercedes' face. "Look! Quetin Boys' Choir: 11th grade: Blaine Anderson, _whoever that is, _Michael Chang, Samuel Evans and Noah Puckerman. 10th grade: Arthur Abrams."

"I wonder why Puck is in the choir? Doesn't he make fun of things like that?"

"His P.O. probably wanted him to do something productive." Kurt said, closing the book.

"Who's Puck?" Tina asked, out the loop again. When Jacob Ben Isreal appeared, Mercedes and Kurt put their fingers to their lips at the same time.

"I've got to transfer schools." Tina muttered.

"Hello, everyone." A few people cheered and Mercedes looked around. There were now huge gaps in the audience. Some of the only people that were left were the faculty, a few random students, some parents and the Girls' choir that were now taking their seats at the front. Mercedes shot laserbeams into Rachel's head.

"Everyone that's left." Jacob corrected himself. "Next up we have the Quetin Boys' Choir. Enjoy." Jacob fleed the stage again.

The auditorium went to abrupt darkness. Gasps echoed in the room, then a strobe light flashed from the stage and some funky music began to play. Five figures blinked back and forth, in and out of sight.

**[Artie]**

_Put your hands, all over_

_Put your hands all over me_

**[All]**

_Put your hands all over _

**[Puck]**

_Put your hands all over me_

As guitar riffs played, the place went black again then lights sparked up on stage. Artie rolled out from the middle and hyped the small crowd as the boys' did a simple two step behind him. They all looked dapper as hell in their all black suits.

**[Artie]**

_I cant seem to find the pretty little face I left behind  
wandered out on the open road  
Lookin' for a better place to call home  
Gave her a place to stay  
And she got up and ran away  
And now I've had enough  
The pretty little face has torn me up_

The boys proceeded into a dirty macarena type dance, full of hip rolls and body waves.

**[Blaine and Artie]**

_Put your hands all over me please talk to me talk to me tell me everything's gonna be alright_

**[Puck, Sam and Mike]**

_(American Woman)_

**[Blaine and Artie]**_  
Put your hands all over me please walk with me walk with me now_

**[Blaine]**_  
Love is a game you say play me and put me away_

By the time Mercedes was able to realize the boys were stripping the blazers of their suits off, Kurt sprang up and yelled, "ByeMercedes!" and ran to the front of the stage pulling Tina with him. They were just in time for Kurt to catch Blaine's blazer and hold it close to his heart before shimmying with it. When each of the boys came out to their verse, they did a specific move. It was as if they knew they would not get a proper introduction, so they decided to it themselves.

**[Puck]**

_American woman, get away from me  
American woman, mama let me be  
Don't come knocking around my door  
I don't want to see your shadow no more_

**[Mike]  
**_Colored lights can hypnotize  
Sparkle someone else's eyes_

**[Blaine]**

_Put your hands all over me please talk to me talk to me tell me everything's gonna be alright..._

**[Puck, Sam and Mike]**

_(American Woman)_

**[Artie]**

_(Gonna be alright)_

**[Blaine and Artie]**

_Put your hands all over me please walk with me walk with me now_

_Love is a game you say play me and put me away_

**[All]**

_Love is a game you say play me and put me away_

Some of the boys were now literally in the crowd, picking members of the audience to dance with them. Puck went straight to the Girls' choir, rolling his six pack all up in their entertained faces. Santana waved her dollar bills and stuck them in the loops of his pants. _That's why Puck's in the group, _Mercedes thought to herself smiling. Mike must've had a shared brain with Tina, because they were dancing together like they knew eachother for years. Mike used the jacket of his suit to pull Tina closer to him and she happily obliged. Blaine, Sam and Artie stayed on stage, clapping their hands and flexing their muscles. Mercedes lifted her hair from her neck because it just got hotter. There, and her nether regions. Sam made a batman like leap off the stage and approached the crowd.

**[Sam]**

_So come down off your cloud, say it now, say it loud  
Get up in my face, pretty little girl come make my day_

Mercedes swore Sam was staring right at her. She looked down, then up again. Those green eyes were still there, except now one of them winked her way. She smiled coyly into her lap. The guys' were all back onstage in a hot but still sexy mess.

**[Blaine and Artie]**

_Put your hands all over me please talk to me talk to me  
Put your hands all over me gotta walk with me walk with me now_

**[Puck, Sam and Artie]**

_(American Woman)_

**[Blaine and Artie]**  
_Put your hands all over me gotta talk to me talk to me  
Put your hands all over me gotta walk with me walk with me now_

_Love is a game you say play me and put me away_

**[All]**

_Love is a game you say play me and put me away_

_Put your hands all over me, all over me_

**[Artie]**

_Put your hands, all over_

**[Puck]**

_(American Woman)_

**[Artie]**

_Put your hands all over me_

Mercedes gave a standing ovation as everyone else did. Kurt and Tina came back to the row, holding the jackets they caught from the members.

"Well, that's all folks!" Jacob Ben Israel announced, still nervous. "See you at Summer Kickoff!"

**A/N: Hi! I hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter. Them being apart of Choir wasn't originally in the storyline, but now that it is my head-canon has written itself until Sam graduates. Lawd. Anyway, thanks for reading and the reviews have been lovely. Thank you. **

**Songs Mashed:**

**"Sweet Dreams"/"Dangerously In Love" by Beyonce.**

**"American Woman" by Lenny Kravitz/ "Hands All Over" by Maroon 5**


	5. Foresight

Mercedes leaned against the bulletin board full of club posters and hotline numbers, waiting for Sam outside. She looked around for any signs of Tina and Kurt. After returning to the wet blanket they thought was Mercedes, they disappeared as soon as it was announced the concert was over. More and more of the Choir girls walked out of the school with big jackets covering their red satin dresses and smiles on their red painted lips.

Suddenly, the double doors flew open on the side of Mercedes. Tina was being escorted out with Mike on her arm. Mercedes called to her and Tina turned around to give a cartoonish grin. Mercedes raised her shoulders and palms, asking the girl what was going on without words. She just mouthed 'I'll call you later' putting a handphone to her ear, then gave a thumbs up. Mercedes fell back against the wall with her arms folded. She was happy for Tina but how could she find a boyfriend in less than an hour? Not fair.

Next, Kurt came out with the handsome stranger, Blaine. They weren't all over each other like the previous couple but they shared a happy energy. Kurt heard Mercedes 'Psst!' at him and whispered to Blaine that he'd only be a second.

"What's going on with that gentleman over there?" Mercedes gestured to the gel-haired fellow.

"Two words: Sam. Who. My new husband, Blaine, likes 50's musicals and Gucci loafers!" Kurt swooned, "I think I may have found my new obsession."

"Well, I'm very happy for you both." Mercedes smiled.

"We're going to Breadstix to catch a bite to eat. You wanna come with?"

"Mm, no. I wouldn't want to crash your date. Have fun."

Kurt gave Mercedes a seemingly friendly hug, then he whispered, "And don't think I'm going to let you get away with not telling me what's going on between you Samexy Sexvans."

"You know, every time you call him that it sounds like an entirely new name. I don't know who you're talking about." Mercedes responded smugly. Kurt gave her a mock snarky look and Mercedes returned it before blowing kisses at eachother. Kurt skipped away rejoining Blaine and leaving Mercedes exposed underneath the lame light of the school. She waited for what felt like centuries later in the cold until the sight of Artie in his wheelchair. Sam was behind the wheels.

"Hey, girl." Artie greeted. "You liked the show?"

"Yeah! You guys were great."

A car horn beeped and an SUV pulled up near the ramps. Mr. Abrams got out of the car and made a quick wave to the kids. Sam and Mercedes waved back.

"It looks like I'm off." Artie said, disappointed that his dad got the car so quickly. He wanted to convince Mercedes to give him a kiss goodnight. He rolled his chair around to face Sam and gave him a fist-pound. "Great show tonight, man."

"Yeah, you too."

"And for you milady," Artie reached for Mercedes' hand and kissed it. "Until we meet again."

"Goodnight, Artie." She shook her head and giggled.

He smiled at them both before rolling down the ramp and saying 'Get home safe, ya'll' over his shoulder. As soon as they pulled away, Sam nodded to the direction of his car. Sam kind of dragged his feet, showing his fatigue. Mercedes paced behind him, watching his slumped figure and wondering if maybe they should just call it a night. Being that sexy had to be hard work. Then, Sam turned around and to look at Mercedes. Her breath stuck in her throat.

"Hey, can you drive? I'm really tired." Sam threw his keys at Mercedes.

She skillfully caught them with one hand before saying, "I don't know how."

"You wanna learn?" Sam kind of drawled out.

"You'd do that?"

"Mercedes, you bit my tongue. I think any boundary we might have had vanquished after that."

* * *

While getting into the Hummer, Mercedes explained that their session would be at her house tonight while pushing her seat up to reach the pedals. She said it was because following the bus stops, it was closer but in reality she had an evening planned. Nothing really spectactular but it was Valentine's day and she was going to have some romance, so help her God.

It didn't matter either way to Sam. He softly gave her instructions, while squinting out the window every now and then. Not out of fatigue but out of bad vision. Sam couldn't drive at night. Truthfully, he is quite farsighted but it's not so bad that he needed glasses, he told Rosa. She realized it when he would touch a space further for his eating utencils. He masked it from his friends by pretending to be drunk sometimes at parties and they would drive him home. With girls, if they didn't let him stay already, he would just sleep in his car until daylight. It seems silly to hide such a thing, but Sam just looked at it as something about him that wasn't perfect. Something that wasn't together about him. So it was his secret.

They had been driving in complete silence for about ten minutes, listening to Sam's iPod before Mercedes thought out loud.

"Do we have to listen to this music?" Mercedes asked, trying to keep her eyes on the empty road.

"Is there something wrong with _this _music?" Sam quirked an eyebrow at her.

"No, it just sounds like the car radio is broken-" Mercedes declared wryly.

"Hey! Do not insult the Strokes!" Sam retorted. Mercedes gave him wide, whimpering eyes and pursed her lips into a pout. A damn kissable pout. "Fine." He gave in and grabbed his iPod from it's adapter. At a stop sign, Mercedes found her bag underneath her seat and plugged her's in. It decided to shuffle to a song that was a little too close to their relationship for Sam to realize. However, Mercedes belted every word.

**[Mercedes]**

_What's it gonna be?  
Cause I can't pretend  
Don't you wanna be more than friends?  
Hold me tight and don't let go  
Don't let go  
Have the right to lose control  
Don't let go_

The lyrics and the way Mercedes sang was getting him a little riled up, honestly. He wanted to make her pull the car over and jump her bones, but that's the one thing he was trying not to be: gross.

**[Mercedes]**

_I often tell myself  
That we could be more than just friends  
I know you think that if we move to soon  
It would all end  
I live in misery when you're not around  
And I won't be satisfied 'till we're taking those vows  
There'll be some lovemaking, heartbreaking, soul shaking  
Oh, lovemaking, heartbreaking, soul shaking_

Mercedes decided that she would sing while driving from now on. She's never done it before and it calmed her nerves. It would probably help her when she took the test, if it was allowed. Until she saw Sam staring at her with wonder, she thought she was being discreet. But then again, she forgot he was in the car.

"I'm sorry. I'll be quiet." She said, mousily.

"Wow," Sam gushed, "I mean.._wow, _Mercedes. Your voice is amazing."

"Really?"

"Fuck yes! How can you not be in the Girls' Choir?" Sam turned the music down.

"Well, except church, my nephew and Kurt, I've never really sung with anyone before."

"But you could give Rachel Berry a run for her money with that voice!"

"The only thing I want to give Rachel Berry is a punch in the face." Mercedes muttered. Sam's eyebrows raised at Mercedes' mean side.

"Damn, girl." Sam chuckled. "Tell me how you _really_ feel."

"I'm sorry but that girl is awful. She thinks she deserves everything."

Mercedes opinion of Rachel Berry was formed by an Algebra class they have together. She would always be the first hand in the air and she would correct other classmates answers. Some of them would be right to begin with but Rachel suggested a simpler way that would make everyone's eyes roll.

Each month, the teacher, Mr. Tanaka gives out an award for the best student. Mercedes wasn't the best at math, so she never considered herself to be in the running. Still, Mr. Tanaka admired how determined she was to get better, so regardless of her grades Mercedes won for the month of October. However, Rachel technically was number one in the class. Rachel got the award for September but was hellbent to see the real fairness of the situation through. She went to Mr. Tanaka first but when he refused to yield, she went above him to the principal. After giving a one point arguement that lasted hours and finally ended with the namedropping of her homosexual lawyer fathers, Principal Figgins let her win. Mr. Tanaka discontinued 'Student of the Month' for their period and the award was revoked from Mercedes.

It wasn't the fact that she had to give the award back that bothered Mercedes. She knew that she truthfully did not earn it and was touched by Mr. Tanaka's faith in her. However, this was not the only time Rachel stepped on others to ensure what she wanted and those people were definitely more deserving. Rachel fought so hard and mercilessly to see that she was always the best, even when she wasn't.

Sam sighed and leaned back against his chair, "Yeah, she can be quite the handful."

Sam's indifferent attitude toward Rachel heightened Mercedes' assumptions of a possible relationship. How could someone so nice, smart and cool tolerate someone as annoying as Rachel? Mercedes reminded herself that she was new to the school and maybe Rachel shown a different side of herself to him. So now...

"Sam? Can I-can I ask you something?" Sam's eyes were on Mercedes, making her more anxious. "Have you-have you and Rachel ever...?" She did not want to finish the question. The fact was Mercedes was overstepping and she knew it but so did Sam. Therefore, he wanted to make her say it.

"Have Rachel and I ever _what?" _He said, cheekily with his arms folded.

"You know..."

"No. No, I really don't." Mercedes blew a breath from her lips.

"Have you guys ever..._had sex_?" Mercedes finally got out after the light changed. Sam sat completely still before breaking hysterical laughter. Mercedes stared at him blankly.

"What?" She quizzed.

"Dude, Rachel fucking hates me." Sam guffawed. "Then again, she hates anyone who she _thinks _is in her way."

"But the way you two danced together-"

"She's a good actress." Sam answered with a shrug. Mercedes couldn't helped but be a little relieved that they hated each other.

"So, I have another question."

"Oh God." Sam groaned out of displeasure.

"It's not about your sex life!" Mercedes promised.

"Okay. Shoot."

"Is..is Blaine gay?" By the way Sam looked at her, she could tell she was asking something that wasn't her business again.

"Now, why is that important?" Sam was getting annoyed with her now.

"I'm sorry, it's just that my best friend is out with him now and he's really into him. I just don't want him to get hurt, y'know?"

"Oh, your fancy friend."

"Kurt." Mercedes corrected.

"Kurt." Sam acknowledged with a nod and licked his lips. "Um, honestly I don't know. He never really talks about liking any girls or guys and none of us ever asked. All I know is that Blaine swooped in this year from an all boys' academy and saved our asses. I mean we were okay before but none of us really had much experience singing as a group. Blaine was the captain of his acapella group at his old school and he cleaned us up. Bonus: he's a hit with the folks at the old home. He knows all the 'doo-wop' shit."

"So, if he was gay, would you see him any differently?" Mercedes asked curiously.

"You ask a lot of questions."

"I'm inquisitive." Mercedes said, simply.

"Well- assuming that he's gay- I'd be okay with it as long as he's happy. There are so many assholes who feel they have the license to be who they are just because they're straight. So why can't a great guy like Blaine get that same justice?"

Mercedes pulled into her driveway and turned off the ignition the way Sam showed her before they left Quetin.

"That's nice." Mercedes shared a kind smile with Sam.

"Surprised?"

"A little."

"I just know how I feel about things." Sam shrugged. Breaking away from Mercedes gaze that wasn't meant to be lustful but was to Sam anyway, he turned to see the three-story brick home in front of him.

"Nice house." He complimented, getting out of the car.

"Thanks."

They entered the home and Mercedes switched the lights on. Pictures of Mercedes and what he guessed was the rest of her family graced every space of the walls. His particular favorite was one of her as giant ice cream cone, she couldn't have been older than ten.

"C'mon, my room is upstairs." Mercedes kicked off her sneakers and jogged up the stairs, gesturing for Sam to follow. When they got to the door with a purple cursive 'M', she opened it and let herself in just to close it in Sam's face.

"Uh, Mercedes?" Sam called to her confused.

"It'll just be a minute!" Sam put his hands on his hips then scratched his arms because the fabric of his suit itched. He couldn't wait to get out that thing, but forgot to change into the clothes he brought because he knew Mercedes was waiting for him. Soon, the door opened. She invited him in to her room that smelled like vanilla and was illuminated by candles. None of the girls he was with ever did a set-up for him before.

"Take your clothes off, please." Mercedes insisted.

"Mercedes-"

"Please?" Her long eyelashes blinked, entrancing him to say yes to anything for the evening.

She explained that she had to go to the bathroom for another minute then disappeared. Sam slowly undressed, distracted by all the purple. His barefeet massaged the faux fur rug and looked around. She had posters of R&B diva's and inspirational quotes from bible passages. Examining her cluttered bookshelf told Sam she had an eccletic taste of teen literature: _Jane Eyre. Song of Solomon. Stargirl. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging. _ Then, there was a random paperback copy of _Heart of Darkness_ lying on her computer desk. That was probably for school. Sam folded his suit neatly on the side of her canopy bed and took a seat. He layed down on the comfortable bed with the line of plush animals. Sam was comfortable inbetween Minnie Mouse and Hello Kitty.

Suddenly, as if this was a horror movie, the bathroom creaked open ominously. Sam sat up alert in nothing but his black Calvin Kline briefs. The slut _always _dies. Then, Mercedes slowly walked out.

_"Holyshit, Batman _." Sam whispered. Mercedes stood in the doorway in a leopard print camisole that was lined with black laced underneath her bust and matching boy shorts. Her hair fell in shiny waterfalls to her elbows and her lips were thick with gloss that Sam couldn't wait to taste. He liked to think that it took a little more from a girl to get him hard, but all Mercedes had to do was stand there.

"_Ven aquí _(Come here)." Sam opened himself to let Mercedes into his lap. She straddled him lightly, fully aware that their privates were only separated by thin cloth. Sam's fingertips grazed the side of her soft cheek then pinched, making her give a tiny smile. Pushing some of the hair from her face, he gave her a slow kiss. His hands roamed her back and sides while she hung onto his neck. Sam's lips left Mercedes' and she whined in protest until his mouth pressed on her neck.

Sam pulled one of her classic moves and flipped her onto the bed. Sam lapped at her neck and her eyes went up to see her brain for a minute. Given leeway to turn her head, she saw her animals friends staring at her. Judging her. So she did the normal thing and knocked them off the bed. The abruptness cause Sam to raise his head to look at her but he just gave a lopsided grin. He nestled himself between her thighs and sat on his elbows, stifling a groan because his underwear was becoming uncomfortable.

"Alright, foreplay... Foreplay is basically anything that isn't sexual intercourse. It heightens your senses so the actual deed will be a lot more satisfying." Sam sunk down a little lower, resting his chin right above her slow heaving chest.

"So, technically we've been doing foreplay already?"

"Yeah-but, more like a soft-core version."

"Oh. Okay."

"Hardcore foreplay focuses on the ability to hear..." Sam did a push-up and hovered over Mercedes to kiss her earlobes.

"The ability to see..." His lips were closing in on her eyeballs until Mercedes forced herself to shield them. Sam kissed her eyelids.

"Smell, even." He smooched the tip of her nose and she smiled blindly.

The word 'Taste' was growled out his mouth. Mercedes instinctively opened her mouth to be fed a spoonful of his tongue. Sweet like sugar.

"Most importantly," Both of their steadied breathing hitched when Sam grinded Mercedes' middle. "Touch." He whispered on her lips. Goosebumps raised instantly.

He teased the bottom of her tank top, looking at Mercedes every now and then for permission. She gave him a trusting look but did not lift her shirt like she had anticipated. Instead, his lips ghosted around her most sensitive areas. Neck, collarbone, nipples. He did, however, give a tiny kiss to her bare navel. Sam was thoughtful with the way he moved his mouth, sucking the fabric and salty taste of her sweat.

Gently, he tugged at the sides of the lace hem of her boy shorts.

_"¿Puedo continuar? _(May I go on?)" He delicately asked. She nodded, grabbing the pillow behind her bracing herself.

"Anytime you want me to stop, just give the word okay?" Sam was headed downward as he lightly tugged the leopard garments with her. Mercedes' inhaled the incense of the candles as she was trying not to think about how Sam Evans' was about to give her special place some lip service.

_God, I am so happy I shaved down there this morning. I wouldn't want him to have any of my...hairs stuck in his teeth-_

"Oh!" Mercedes gasped when his tongue ran across her slit. The feel of his lips against her made her body spasm, possessed by the rush. His hands steadied her by her thighs. He had her by the button of her bliss. He slurped around her clit, causing Mercedes to moan uncontrollably. Sam felt her tightening and put a digit inside.

"Oh my Gosh! Gosh! Gah.." Mercedes sobbed unintelligently. This type of pleasure was overwhelming and remembering what Sam told her, followed her instinct to ride his face. She had no idea what was happening, but she liked. God, did she like it.

"Sam..Sam, I-"

"Mm-hmm." He muttered against her walls, driving her even closer to insanity. The kaleidoscope of colors illuminated against her eyes as she felt something weird happen. _Sploosh. _She made a fit of sleepy giggles as Sam licked at her cream like it was frosting. When he was finished, he climbed up to check on Mercedes. Her chest heaved as she stared at the ceiling with no expression whatsoever.

"I have two questions." She said, breathing heavily and trying to regain the mind she just lost. Amused, Sam leaned his head on her shoulder.

"Okay."

"What just happened?"

"You just came, my love."

"That's good right?" Embarrassed, Mercedes looked to Sam for a split-second to see him nod affirmatively.

"One more question."

"Okay."

"Are you a wizard?"

Sam's cherry red mouth grew into a smile. With that, he decided to show her some more magic tricks.

* * *

An hour and multiple orgasms later, Mercedes and Sam lay on the bed together side by side. Their silence was painted by the smoky hue slowly disappearing in the dark. When Mercedes finally spoke, Sam didn't answer her. She looked at him to see that he was in a peaceful sleep. Mercedes crept off of her bed and grabbed an extra cover from the hallway. She covered Sam and was worried when he stirred but it was a false alarm.

Sam felt a warm blanket wrap around his body. As a 'thank you', he inched towards Mercedes to enclose her in a hug. Sam could hear the soft snoring against his chest; he could feel her soft belly giving him warmth, making him hold her tighter; he could still taste her slipping down his throat as he drifted; he smelled the apple scent in her hair and nuzzled his nose into her scalp subconsiously.

He could see nothing.

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Reviews are lovely. **

**Songs used:**

**"Don't Let Go" by En Vogue **


	6. Our Deal

Over the next few weeks, Sam taught Mercedes the basics of foreplay. At his house, always now because of the little incident after Valentine's Day.

_"Sam!" Mercedes leaned over the sleeping boy, shaking him. "Sam! Wake up!" Sam slowly woke up from the best sleep he had in a while._

_"What's wrong?" He asked, rubbing his eyes._

_"It's 6:30 am! You have got to go, before my parents get up!" His sleepyhead became alert and his green eyes bulged. He ripped the covers from his body and hopped out of the most comfortable bed he'd ever known, only to slip on a Domo doll that Mercedes left on the ground. _

* * *

The last thing that the two went over was matters of the male private.

_"What is it?" Sam asked, not staring Mercedes' in the eyes. He's been naked in front of dozen's of girls before. It didn't make any sense to be nervous now. He figured his sudden shyness was due to the way Mercedes was oogling him. She sat across from him on his bed and her eyes ran over his bare body, taking her sweet time. _

_"...It's just...so...ugly." Mercedes cocked her head to the side. Sam's brows raised before falling back into jolly laughter. "What?"_

_"That's usually not the first expression I get." Sam said, after catching his breath._

_"I've never seen a naked man before."_

_"Not even in porn?" Mercedes gasped, as if he said 'Lord Voldemort', and rapidly shook her head._

_"My parents' monitor all of the T.V.'s in the house. I can't watch anything like that without them noticing. Or without myself feeling embarrassed." Mercedes blushed._

_"I don't get it. Sex is the most natural thing in the world. It's what makes us and yet people are embarrassed to explore it or talk about it. It doesn't makes sense to me." Sam sat up and folded his legs, Mercedes' eying his member the whole time. _

_"Now, what's this about me having an ugly dick?" Sam asked._

_"No! No! That's not what I-Well, it is, but I didn't mean you personally. It's just I've overheard girls saying some penises are amazing or nice but...if yours' is any judge for the rest of them, it's not really aesthetically pleasing." Sam repeated 'aesthetically pleasing' with a keen smile. _

_"I'm sure when they were describing, they weren't talking about looks." Mercedes nodded absently then understanding what he meant moments later, she said 'Oh!' and gave a more insistant nod._

_"Okay, so...Let's start with a handjob-"_

_"What about blowing?"_

_"No."_

_"Okay." Sam was still smarting from the Domo disaster and Mercedes decided not to push him._

_Naturally, the girl tried to snatch at the claimed ugly, large penis and go to work. Sam jerked back and told her that she's not to do that. Ever. He taught her how to touch him so his jaw would slack and his body temperature would raise. Looking at her in a little tank top and boy shorts with pink bows on it was doing wonders for his impending release. Her little hand inside his, controlling her movements perfectly and locking eyes was making his muscles tighten. He tried to suppress his growls but it was no use: Mercedes was the ideal stroker. Sam closed his eyes and threw his head back, letting a cry escape from his lips wanting to kiss her. Without warning, he ejaculated on the top of his hand and Mercedes watched the cum sprout from the head, mesmerized. Without less warning than before, she grabbed Sam's large hand and licked the cream from his fingers. Sam's eyes went with his mouth in round O. _

_"Ay dios mio (Oh my God)." It was the hottest thing he has ever seen and he has seen some pretty hot shit._

_The initial curiosity was leaving Mercedes as the aftertaste was kicking in. Her face scrunched into a frown, a funny frown because she was trying to hide it. Sam watched the changes her appearence underwent and sighed._

_"You want to brush your teeth, don't you?" Sam said, after rolling his eyes. Mercedes nodded. "There's a spare toothbrush in my cabinet in the bathroom." As soon as he finished the sentence, Mercedes leaped off the bed saying 'Thank you' while jogging to his bathroom. _

_Gradually, she got better and once surprised him as he was coming by wrapping her pretty mouth around the tip, gladly ingesting the cum but not without making the 'ew' face._

_Finally, he had to ask, "Do I really taste that bad?"_

_"No. Well, I mean I don't know. Your the only person I've ever...tasted." Mercedes said with her child-like honesty. Sam smiled and gave her permission to brush her teeth again, but she declined and got the better of him again when she attached their lips. The girl always found new ways to astound him. That was for sure._

_"What was that for?" _

_"For being such a good tutor." Mercedes whispered delicately against his mouth before kissing it again._

* * *

Soon, Sam and Mercedes fell into a routine. They would practice everything she learned chronologically. Something that did change was that, instead of Mercedes leaving his house afterward, Sam would invite her to stay over. His intentions were always pure as often their study dates would run late and he didn't want Mercedes to be out there waiting for the bus. Mercedes called her parents to say that she was staying with Tina or Kurt and Sam would pull out his futon to sleep on.

But Mercedes told him, "Sam, you've had your penis in my mouth. I think any boundary we might have had vanquished after that." She opened the covers for him and patted the mattress. Sam nodded and joined her underneath the comforter. He hated that futon. If they wouldn't go directly to sleep, they would stay up talking about anything. They shared their hopes for the future and distress about their teachers. Sam and Mercedes felt as if they were always meant to be friends, opening up willingly to eachother like open books.

In the morning, if it was the weekend, Sam and coerce Mercedes into staying a playing video games with him. Whenever she stay over with Kurt and Tina, she'd never come home before dark anyway. One day, the two were lying on the bed playing Mario Kart and simultaneously engaging in a friendly game of Footsies.

Sam cussed himself for thinking Baby Mario and Wario would be a good pairing when suddenly, Mercedes said, "So, I think we should start telling people now."

"Telling people what?" Sam wasn't registering anything except that he was currently in last place.

"You know...about me." As if the fates wanted a cruel joke, 'You Lose' flashed on his side of the screen. Sam put down his controller and leaned on his side to look at Mercedes. She was on her belly, in his hockey sweatshirt and sweatpants. The clothes never looked so good.

"Are you sure you're ready for that, Mercedes?" Sam was not ready for that. He enjoyed having Mercedes as the friend he could say anything to and cuddle with. He knew he was going to lose that if they ended things now.

"Well," Mercedes sat on her knees, "you're not going to teach me anything past what we're doing right now, right?"

"...No..."

"Because, you don't want to have sex with me, right?"

"...Yes..."

"Okay, then this is just the end of our deal." Mercedes smoothed out her wavy hair because they got a little nesty without a cap. She didn't want to end their arrangement either but didn't want it to appear that she had feelings for him or something. Unless...

"Unless, you have a reason why I shouldn't see anyone-" Mercedes twiddled with her fingers.

"No! No!" Sam said a little too quickly and a little too nonchalant. "If you're ready, you're ready. S-so, I guess I'll start talking on Monday."

"Great."

"Yeah."

* * *

By Wednesday, Sam still hadn't spread the word yet and Mercedes was on to his silence. She found him at his locker, in the hallway. The girl was relentless. He got a moment of peace in the Choir room with Puck. They had just finished a meeting and were cleaning up the room. Puck wasn't much of a talker, unless it was about girls or arguments about who is a better guitarist than Slash.

"Hey, model mouth," Puck said. He usually called him names in reference to his unusual lips and not all of them, or any of them, were gems. "Who's that chubby black girl you've been around lately?"

"Mercedes." Sam said, stacking the last chair.

"_Mercedes_," Puck repeated, an octave lower "I like that. You hittin' it?"

Sam first said 'No', but then remembered their deal. "Well, yeah, kinda. But she's not the kind of girl to just give it to anyone."

"A challenge, huh? I'm down for that."

"Why? I mean, Mercedes isn't your type."

"_Girl_ is my type. Plus, I dig a chick with curves." The only bigger slut than Sam was Puck. He was only second in school because less girls were attracted to his self-proclaimed badass ways. Dopey and immature, many people wondered how he even got into Quetin. Always doing the bare minimum in classes, his GPA was less than stellar and trouble would find him with every flipped lunch tray on a student's head. Still, somehow he was there and popular and feared. The sides of Puck's mouth made a pleased grin before locking the closet up. "Mercedes better watch out because the Puckmeister's looking for a new ride."

_What have I just done? _Sam thought.

**A/N: Puckcedes anyone? Reviews are lovely, thanks for reading.**


	7. Best Laid Plans

Puck approached Mercedes a couple of days after talking to Sam. Puck leaned against one of the walls in the hallway, hoping that Mercedes would see him first. However, she never did look up from the paper she was reading at her locker and the first bell rung. He was out of time. He quickly strutted his way up to her and as Mercedes shut her locker, Puck appeared.

"Hey..." Puck quickly looked down at his palm to read the smudged marker that wrote, "Mercedes." His voice was as smooth as velvet.

In Mercedes' brain she was positively freaking out. Which was ironic because truth be told, she wasn't even sure that she liked Puck from what she heard about him. He was like a 17 year old toddler. Albeit an _attractive_ 17 year old toddler. Mercedes wasn't looking to make Puck her boyfriend, but someone with the same status. So, she decided to use him as practice for playing it cool.

"Hey." She said, shutting her locker. She imagined the finesse at which Quinn walked away from Sam, leaving him to drool. Mercedes made her hips like a washing machine, swishing away from the mohawked boy. After picking up his jaw, Puck treaded behind her.

"I'm Puck."

"I know." Puck tried to find his words after that. Normally, girls would pretend they didn't know him and he would give them reasons to remember.

"...So, I was thinking, you're cute and I'm hot." Puck explained, gesturing from her to himself. "We should hook up."

_YES! _Mercedes thought. Not at the option of hooking up, though she wouldn't be opposed but that her plan was actually working. She turned on her heel and gave Puck a sly smile.

"Mm, I don't think so." She simply replied. "Thanks for the offer." Mercedes continued to walk away from a dumbfounded Puck. This was not the first time he was rejected, but the ones that would turn him down would actually _be_ popular. Now, this not-popular girl who hadn't even crossed his radar until a couple of days ago had the gaul to say no to him without even breaking a sweat. Who was she? What was her deal? How'd she get that ridiculous swerve on her?

Puck didn't know the answer to any of these questions but he was going to find out.

* * *

Over the past couple days, Puck continued to make subtle advances. He blew kisses at her. He whistled when she came his way.

He dropped really bad lines like, "Girl, you got more curves than a Nissan ad", with the utmost confidence.

Mercedes muttered, "OhmyGod" and continued to walk ahead of him, suppressing her laughter.

To Puck's surprise, nothing was working. Sam said she was a challenge, but damn. Mercedes was driving him crazy, soon she was all he thought about. How satisfying it would be to get a taste of those lips that countlessly told 'no' and to be able to pull those hips toward him instead of watching them walk by. He couldn't just give up and there was only one thing he hasn't tried yet. Puck knew what he had to do now. He had to be the one thing that he promised himself that he would never do as a man.

Puck had to become sappy.

Sam was walking down an empty hallway after baseball practice, when a giddy Mercedes skipped up to him.

"Hola!" Mercedes greeted him.

"Hola." Sam smiled at the glowing Mercedes. "Someone is very happy." Sam got to his locker and played with his combo before opening it.

"Yeah, guess what? Puck asked me out." Sam faltered on his lock. Mercedes didn't notice, she was just gazing into space with a grin.

"And what did you say?" He averted his eyes beneath the rim of the baseball cap, hoping his green eyes wouldn't reveal the monster that was waiting.

"I said no. I mean, he's hot and all but his game is like Atari. Plus, all the attention means that it's working!" Mercedes sung delighted. _He's hot? She thinks he's hot?_ Sam thought.

"So, you're not going to go out with Puck?"

"Nope." Mercedes made a popping sound at the end of the word.

At least, she _planned_ not to.

The next day, she was met with cluttered hearts and a red bag attached to her locker. Inside of the bag was a teddy bear with Puck's pouty face glued on the nose. Kurt walked up behind her, speechless.

"What the-?" Kurt started. He knew that Puck was after his friend, but this was getting ridiculous.

"I have no clue." Mercedes finished, examining the pointy cut hearts with the tips of her fingers.

Kurt found a nearby trashcan and tossed the incriments in it for Mercedes. He wiped his hands clean of the grossly cute cut-out hearts, shaking his head. When Kurt wasn't looking, Mercedes dug inside the trash to find the teddy bear she wanted to keep.

* * *

"If X is the constant then..." Mr. Tanaka was teaching another lesson in Algebra. He wrote the problem in three different ways on the chalkboard, hoping that the students would recognize one of them.

"Does anyone have an answer?" He asked. "_Anyone?" _He begged.

Rachel Berry sat front row center, raising one hand to the sky and holding on the the front of the desk with the other, trying to keep herself from jumping out of her seat. The girl looked like she was going to burst. Her left hand waved to and fro like she was trying to land a plane. Mercedes sat in the row next to Rachel Brownose. She joined the class in the eyerolling silence as she slumped in her seat, waiting for Rachel to give some extended answer that no one cares to hear.

Then, the door pounded. Mr. Tanaka went to open the door and Jacob Ben Israel entered. In his hand was a bouquet of daisies.

"Mercedes Jones?" Jacob called her name and she sat up instantly. Cautiously she raised her hand.

"I-I'm Mercedes Jones." Jacob walked over to her and handed her the daisies saying they were for her. Then another boy came in with daisies. Then, another. Soon the front of the classroom had a line of underclassmen with flowers in hand. All for Mercedes. The intercom squeaked and the feedback made everyone's ears pop.

"Uh...Hey, school." Mercedes heard Puck's voice over the loudspeaker and her eyes became as wide as her smile. "Mercedes? I figured I'd do this because I wanted you to listen to me. So, I really want to take you out and do stuff with you. I don't know what you heard, but I can be a good guy. Let me show you."

"Puckerman! Get out!" Principal Figgins cried. Some shuffling was heard as Puck played a game of tag with the Principal around his desk.

"I want to go out with you. This Friday night." Puck panted. "My number is 740-343-2345!" Mercedes took note that some of the girls were copying his number down, so quickly she did the same. "Again that's 740-343-2345. I'll be expecting your call!"

"Puckerman, I'll kill-!"

The intercom shut off.

* * *

Mercedes disposed of the flowers by giving half of them to Kurt who said that he needed them for a project he was working on for his room and the other half she just gave away to people that passed her by. When she was down to one flower, she visited Sam.

"Hi." She beamed, presenting a flower to the boy. "A daisy for you."

"Aw, thanks." He took the flower and opened his locker. Mercedes leaned back against the row of lockers and sighed, looking down at her twiddling fingers.

"So, you heard the announcement at 4th period?" Mercedes asked.

"Yeah. Puck knows no bounds when it comes to getting girls." Sam replied, opening his AP History book. "But it sucks that he's doing all this work for nothing."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're not going out with him, right?"

Mercedes gave an exposed look that admitted she might be into Puck. Sam put his textbook in his bag and shut his locker.

"Mercedes," Sam stepped closer to Mercedes to meet her eyes. "Don't go out with Puck. He's not the kind of guy you want to be dating."

"What's one date, though?" Mercedes mused. "It's not like I'm going to sleep with him or anything."

That hadn't even crossed Sam's mind but now that it was in the universe, he was going to try his hardest to even keep it from happening.

"We're only going to a movie and maybe dinner afterward..." Mercedes continued.

"Wait, you already said yes?" Mercedes nodded, not seeing what was so wrong about the situation. "Listen, I know Puck. He's not the kind of guy that you want to be attached to."

"He's popular and good-looking. It sounds like he's _just_ the guy I want to be attached to."

"I think you don't know the difference between popularity and infamy." Sam rolled his eyes with the line and walked in the opposite direction.

Mercedes heard the condescendion in Sam's tone and was completely thrown. Deciding to give her a piece of her pissed-off mind, she caught up to him.

"Excuse me, but where's your gavel?" Mercedes criticized.

"What?"

"What makes you think you can judge me? Or Puck? You know, your not that much better than he is! You both have casual sex and you have no problem with me hanging out with you! Why do you look down on him?"

"I don't look down on Puck!" Sam defended. He didn't dislike Puck, really. He was an asshole but a lovable asshole. Besides his crass humor and sometimes short fuse, Puck could be a nice guy. He just didn't want Mercedes to be with him because he knew that she could find someone better to spend her time with. More of a match. Like him.

"And who do you think you are telling me who I shouldn't date? I thought you said you can't dictate who I go out with! Just like I wasn't bothered when you had other girls on the side!"

Oh, but she was bothered. Whenever his phone would ring during one of their sessions, Mercedes thought it was one of the harem. She'd flip him onto the bed and pin him down or squeeze his head between her legs until he told her he couldn't breath. Even when they weren't making out, she liked his full attention.

Sam pulled at the roots of his hair, frustrated with the whole situation. He couldn't tell her why she shouldn't date Puck, but he couldn't tell her why she should date him. After all, Mercedes was right: he and Puck weren't that different.

He was about to walk away from her again, so upset with himself and Mercedes, but then turned back to invade her personal space.

"But what if I _didn't_ sleep with anyone while I was with you?" Sam growled. Mercedes was taken aback.

"But-but you did. You said-"

"No, no." Sam cut her off. "I said I _could_ if I _wanted_ to."

Before she could answer him, he said "Forget it. You're right." and stormed away from her in the hallway. She wanted to call him back to her, but decided not to. On his way to the exit, he looked at the daisy, wilting from the death grip he gave it, and threw it in the trash. _Puck's a dumbass_, he thought. _Her favorite flowers are violets: not daisies._

* * *

On Friday night, Kurt came over to her house to get Mercedes primped and prepped. He chose an outfit for her and did her hair and makeup. They both decided on a flowing red, confection that hugged the curves of her body and with her hair flipped and makeup light.

After the finishing touch of hairspray, Kurt looked at his friend and said, "All right. My work is done. May God and mace be with you."

She came down the stairs with Kurt behind her, still playing with her feathered hair. Her father watched her from his easy chair in the living room, his own breath stolen before remembering that she was all dressed up for a boy.

"Hey, daddy." Mercedes said.

"Sweet pea..." Dion Jones held his daughter, smelling the scent of perfume and Mercedes' transition to adulthood. "How old are you again?"

"16, daddy." Mercedes affirmed. "My birthday was-"

"March 3rd, last week, I know." Mr. Jones groaned. The rule he set for his daughter was that she wasn't allowed to date until her 16th but looking at her now wanted to make him change the age to 30. Suddenly, a car horn beeped outside.

"That's him. Gotta go!" Mercedes exclaimed, trying to run out the door.

"This boy thinks he's going to take out my daughter without even meeting me? Uh-uh, I don't play that." Mr. Jones opened their front door to meet the neanderthal that thought it was acceptable to not introduce himself, until Mercedes blocked his way. "Mercedes Belinda Jones!" He scolded.

"Daddy, please, let me one chance to have an embarrass-free night with a guy that might really like me." Mercedes begged.

Dion Jones couldn't resist his daughter's puppy pout. She got that from her mother.

"_Please_." She repeated. Mr. Jones sighed, "All right, Sweet Pea." Mercedes made a giddy smile and hugged her father before waving to goodbye to Kurt and fleeing out the door.

"Be home by 11!" He yelled as she ran to the rusty deathtrap that looked like a pickup truck.

As the tires skidded away, rubbed a hand over his face and closed the blinds. He glanced at Kurt packing his beauty supplies.

"Kurt?" Mr. Jones asked.

"Yes?"

"Should I be worried?"

Kurt sighed, "Of course. Any father should be worried about their daughter on her first date."

Mr. Jones nodded, then posed the question, "Should we follow them?" Kurt laughed and patted the nervous father's shoulder in reassurance.

"Mercedes is a smart girl. Everything will be fine."

* * *

Puck and Mercedes drove in silence to classic Guns N' Roses tunes in his Ford F-150. Right now, Mercedes was regretful complaining about Sam's music. They were on their way to a movie theater that only played old classics. In Puck's mind, old equaled romantic for some reason or another and he thought showing Mercedes that he was into that stuff would make her think that he had some level of sophistication. He really cared what she thought about him. So, he thought maybe he could leave some mystery for as long as possible and be the strong and silent type. Though, Puck's mind was literally rambling with thoughts about how amazing Mercedes looked and how if he weren't trying to impress her, he'd try something, _anything_ to get her in the back on his truck.

When they were standing in line for tickets, Mercedes thought enough was enough. Just saying 'Hi' to eachother wasn't polite conversation. It was time to start seeing if this could work. She rubbed her arms and reached for the cardigan she folded to fit her purse when Puck put his beaten leather jacket on her shoulders.

She smiled in surprise, "Thank you." Puck just shrugged and pulled a crooked smirk.

"So, what movie do you want-?"

"What do you-?"

Both of them tried to take a chance and say something, resulting in their words crashing together like cars. They looked away from each other bashfully and Puck was the first to give it another shot.

"So, what movie do you think you want to see?" He asked with his arms folded. He was getting a little cold now, but Mercedes looked good in his jacket.

"I'm not sure. How about you?"

"Oh, we should see _A Clockwork Orange!_ Or maybe _The Birds!_ That Hitchcock dude was fucking sick. And _awesome_."

"Um, I'm pretty sure Stanley Kubrick made _A Clockwork Orange_." Mercedes corrected.

"Oh..." Puck made an embarrassed look, then shrugged it off with a grin. "Eh, old white guys. Potato, potato." He misused the common phrase by saying the pronunciation of 'potato' accurately twice but Mercedes decided not to bring it up because she knew what he meant.

"What about _Imitation of Life_?" Puck looked at the film's poster. It had portraits of handsome men and pretty, distressed women. It screamed "Chick Flick" and Puck groaned at it. Mercedes took note of his displeasure with the movie and braced herself. She thanked God she didn't eat before this because seeing people get pecked to death by birds or someone getting raped would surely make her lose her appetite. When they were next in line, the ticket girl popped her gum and asked what they would be seeing.

"Two tickets to _Imitation of Life_, please." Puck droned. He was surprised when he saw Mercedes hanging on his arm all of a sudden. His heart thumped proudly. He must've done something right.

* * *

During the movie, Puck was very well behaved. Usually, he and other girls would permit to some sexy shenanigans but he kept his hands to himself the whole time. The only time they touched was at the end of the film. Annie was on her deathbed and when it cut to the funeral, Puck was a goner. Mercedes was a fan of the film, although the ending wasn't a secret to her it still garnered a few tears. Puck blubbered helplessly saying, "_All she did was love her daughter. That's all she did!" _Then, Mercedes reached over her armrest to hold his hand. Their hands were vastly different in size but fit together nicely.

After the movie, Puck recommended they go to the Pier. The hot dogs were legendary and the beach was always better at night. The couple got their food and sat on the boardwalk.

Mercedes watched her feet dangle above the calm ocean, before saying "So, your friends with Sam?"

"Yeah," Puck said, taking a bite out of his corn dog. "He's a dude-lady, but he's my bro."

"Dude-lady?"

"Yeah, you heard the song? _Dude looks like a lady..." _Puck sung Aerosmith and Mercedes laughed at him before saying that wasn't nice."I'll play it for you in the car." Puck beamed, happy at his ability to make the girl smile.

"So how'd you end up together in the Boys' Choir?" Mercedes asked, sipping her soda.

"Well, the choir started out being Sam and Artie's thing and my dad was riding me about extra current events-"

"You mean, extra-curriculars."

"Yeah, those. My dad wants me to be good enough. So, I asked them if they'd let me join and they said 'yeah'."

Mercedes picked at her fries before posing the question, "What do you mean 'good enough'?"

"Well," Puck sighed, setting his food beside him, "I don't know if you know this Mercedes, but I shouldn't be at Quetin." Mercedes' eyebrows raised. The fact that Puck didn't really fit in academically was easy to see but to spare Puck's feelings she could pretend to be surprised.

Puck went on, "See, in middle school I had a lot of problems. I couldn't really focus on anything and I was always acting up, but not on purpose. I tried to tell the teachers but they didn't believe me. They thought I was just causing trouble and being lazy because I was the Superintendent's son. So, instead of helping me, they told my dad that I was just plain stupid and he believed them."

"Your kidding!" Mercedes said in disbelief. Puck sadly shook his head.

"I guess to prove to everyone that I wasn't stupid, he bought me into Quetin, one of the best schools around. I should've been kicked out already because I know my grades are ass even when I do try. I just...I wanna be the smart kid my dad wants me to be." Puck stared out into the ocean.

"What does your mom have to say about this?" Puck barked a laugh and sipped more Mountain Dew from his straw.

"Mom's dead. Car crash." Puck stated abruptly. Mercedes drew in a deep breath and rubbed Puck's back reassuringly. "I'm so sorry." Mercedes said sincerely.

"But, Puck you're not stupid. You're not! It just takes you a little longer to get things, maybe. Everyone has different ways of learning. Just because you might be a little slower than the others doesn't make you any less smarter then them. You just need more attention and there's nothing wrong with that." Mercedes threw Puck a gentle smile, so one sneaked onto his face as well.

He neglected to tell her that he's never shared all that with anyone before. Mercedes had this...thing about her that Puck couldn't name or put his finger on that made him trust her. So, he decided to take things a little further.

"Hey," Puck said after a few moments of perfect silence, "Do you wanna go out to the beach?"

Before walking on the sand, the two went back to the truck to get Puck's guitar. They found a spot that had them right underneath the moon. Puck sat down and folded his legs. He tuned his acoustic, while Mercedes smoothed out her cardigan to sit on.

Puck licked his lips and asked, "You ready?" Mercedes excitedly nodded.

A gentle but sultry melody twanged from his guitar. He licked his lips a few times. Mercedes now knew that was his sign of nervousness.

**[Puck]**

_No I'm not the man I used to be lately_  
_See you met me at an interesting time_  
_If my past is any sign of your future_  
_You should be warned before I let you inside_

_Hold on to whatever you find baby_  
_Hold on to whatever will get you through_  
_Hold on to whatever you find baby_  
_I don't trust myself with loving you_

_I will beg my way into your garden_  
_I will break my way out when it rains_  
_Just to get back to the place where I started_  
_So I can want you back all over again_

_Hold on to whatever you find baby_  
_Hold on to whatever will get you through_  
_Hold on to whatever you find baby_  
_I don't trust myself with loving you_

Mercedes was spellbound by the way Puck performed. It was like he was at his purest form, vulnerable and unstable if not handled with care. He looked up at Mercedes and bit his lip, telling her he was done. She applauded him.

"Yay!" She squealed, making him smile a little but his heart grew a lot. "That was good! Was that yours?"

Puck put the guitar behind him while shaking his head, "Nah, John Mayer."

"You could've fooled me the way you sung it." Puck searched her face to see if she was just fucking with him. And nothing.

"You're not like other girls, are you Mercedes?" Mercedes scoffed a laugh, not really knowing what to say to that. "I mean, you're like...God, what's that word when someone is being super nice to you and you can tell they're not just trying to blow smoke up your hole?"

"Um...Genuine? I hope?"

"Yeah! You're really genuine."

Mercedes giggled a little before Puck leaned in to kiss her. Completely taken aback, Mercedes was panicking. She wasn't ready for him! She didn't have time to reapply her lip gloss! She looked down for just half a second and WHAM! Lip on lip contact. Thank God Puck didn't see the way her eyes bulged when she realized she was being kissed.

Once she finally relaxed, the kiss became easy and enjoyable. She remembered how Sam would guide her tongue into his mouth, teasing it just so. Puck had a similar strategy, except their tongues more or less played at the middle. Slowly, Puck shifted his weight on top of Mercedes so they were entangled in the sand. His large hands massaged the curves on her body, making Mercedes moan a little. Puck couldn't understand how Mercedes felt in his arms. It was literally making him mad that he never felt a girl so real before. So voluptuous. He teared his lips away from hers to kiss her neck. His hands were about to make it up to Mercy's mountains, when she felt a name on the tip of her tongue.

"Ss-" Mercedes whimpered. She almost said it. She was just inches too close from saying Sam's name. How'd his name even get there? Mercedes was making out with Puck and she was liking it. Why was she thinking about him? It was probably because they haven't spoke since she told him about her date with Puck and she was still angry about it.

With her mind being thrown into a loop about Sam, Mercedes' hormones were coming down. It was time to stop.

"Puck..." She said, with his hands on her breasts. Mercedes was so wrapped in her own thoughts she hadn't even realized he made it there. Puck looked into Mercedes' eyes, then at his hands, then her eyes again.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He repeated, never taking his hands or eyes off her covered bust until she said so.

"Puck, can you-? Can you take your hands off-?"

"Ohyeahsorry."

* * *

"So, did you have a good time tonight?" Puck asked, with his hands safely in his pockets. At the end of the night, he walked Mercedes to her door. "Y'know without me molesting you and all..."

Mercedes snorted, "Yeah, I had a great time. We should do it again soon."

"Really?" Puck smiled, happy that he wasn't written off. "Y'know the Fair'll be in town soon. We should go. I'll make you my bitch on the bumper cars."

Mercedes' eyebrows knotted at Puck's peculiar phrasing. He realized that came out wrong.

"No! What I meant was-I mean-" Puck was hushed by a soft kiss to the lips.

"I can't wait." Mercedes said, deeply. She left Puck with his jaw open on her doorstep as she said goodnight. He strutted to his truck, after balling his fist up and shaking it in victory. He felt different with this girl. He felt special.

When he got into his driver's seat, his phone rang.

"Hello?" Puck answered.

"Hey."

"Oh, hey Sam. Whassup?" Sam was sitting at his computer desk. He was so relieved that Puck answered the phone because that meant Mercedes wasn't with him. At least not anymore.

"Nothing."

* * *

**A/N: Honestly, the next chapter is a Klaine!heavy chapter. Everytime I write stories for Samcedes they turn out to be about everyone and their mothers but I promise it's cohesive with the storyline. Thanks for reading. Reviews are lovely.**

**Songs Used:**

**"I Don't Trust Myself With Loving You" by John Mayer**


	8. Coming Outside

**A/N: WARNING: THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO SAMCEDES AND NO PUCKCEDES IN THIS CHAPTER. However, there is some foreshadowing of what's to come, so you might want to read but otherwise THIS IS A PURE KURT CHAPTER. Excuse errors because this chapter is so long.**

**So, here's my AU Kurt. Enjoy.**

* * *

_Kurt has never been in love before. That is, not with an actual person. He loved his dad, his friends and redecorating his room. He knew that he loved things all the time. Falling in love, however, has only happened to him twice in his young life._

Even when he was a boy, he knew he was completely enamored with fashion. He and his mother would sit back with popcorn and admire the way the gorgeous clothes flowed as the characters danced to Rodgers and Hammerstein classics. The wonderful colors, lighting up the screen with beauty and a galeful wonder that made Kurt want to explore more into the world of wearable art. On the weekends, they would window shop and find mannequins that reminded them of Doris Day or Rock Hudson. Sometimes, they would play dress-up with her trunk of clothes and gracefully Waltz to the soundtrack of _Sound of Music_. Kurt would stand in his mother's high heels and sunday hat, laughing merrily like he lived a fairytale.

Then, she was gone. Buried in the ground. Never to be touched, kissed or danced with again.

His father loomed over him with grief, holding his hand tightly as they were the last ones to leave the cemetary. Burt Hummel didn't like to sugarcoat things but to keep his son from growing up a little harder than he had to, he made an exception. Burt explained that Kurt's mother was sick because she made an agreement with God to give her strength to those who needed it the most. She got sicker and weaker because she was helping more and more people to live. Ultimately, she was a martyr of sorts. Kurt appreciated his father trying to ease him into their new lives with comfort, but he knew better. The only existing divinity he ever knew was his mother and that was all.

When Burt and Kurt's lives returned to some strange normalcy, Burt saw that school was coming back and it was time to buy new clothes for Kurt. He knew his son usually dressed...prim and a little extravagant but he couldn't get those type of clothes. It's not that Burt was ashamed of his son's appearence, he just didn't know where to find them because his wife would shop for those things. So, he bought some new things from a Wholesale store that was his favorite. The associate helped Burt the best she could, guessing Kurt's size by Burt's description of his unique son. Burt brought home a ton of items that day and let Kurt try them on in the privacy of his room.

Kurt looked at himself in the long mirror, barely recognizing who he was. The clothes fit fine to his surprise, but it just wasn't him. Plain blue shirt, blue jeans and low-top navy blue Chuck Taylors. No frills, no bows, not even a pop of color was in the wardrobe his well-meaning but clueless father picked out. He folded the clothes neatly and put them back into the yellow plastic bags. After Kurt made and served dinner that night, he suggested if not demanded that the next time Burt went clothes shopping for him, he was to go too. When he was done chewing the first bite of his tender Salisbury steak, Burt nodded his head in agreement.

They went to a children's clothing outlet and carried a pile of clothes equal to Kurt's body weight back to the dressing rooms. He arranged the outfits the exact way he would wear them before putting them on. With all of the pieces that he personally picked for himself, something still wasn't right. Kurt remembered when his mother would give him his new clothes. As a game, she would always embed a 'K' in a hidden place on his shirts or his pants. When he'd find it, his reward would be a big hug and a kiss. Then he realized that was it: none of these clothes were really his because they didn't have any of his mother inside.

Burt knocked on the door to check on Kurt because the line for the fitting rooms was getting long and he was in there for almost an hour. Kurt came out behind the door, leaving a mess of clothes in his wake, simply saying nothing fit. In the car, after a long silence and the mutual feeling of wasted time, he requested a sewing machine to make his own clothes. He acknowledged internally that it still wouldn't be the same but at least he could pretend. He was nine.

* * *

Over the years, Kurt's images continued to grow and evolve. He filled nearly 50 mead sketchbooks with designs in one summer. Beads, sequin, brocade: you name it, Kurt wore it. He achieved many girl friends because of this, they admired the way the light hit the patterns of his clothes making him shine. And the boys...they didn't quite get him, so they just ignored him. He got a lot more attention in middle school, however.

Many of the kids he attended grade school with followed him to middle school. When bodies and relationships changed, Kurt pretty much stayed the same. He wore his top-hats and patent leather shoes with girls following him, asking him for fashion advice. You could say he was popular in girl world. Occasionally, he was invited to sleepovers for make-overs. When the boys caught onto this, they came to him with questions too. They even deemed him 'the man' when they knew he was allowed into all-girl slumber parties. Kurt didn't know what it meant really. He'd never look at the size of the breasts, but patterns of the ill-fitting shirt that emphasized them. He never wanted to kiss a girl's lips but drooled over the softness and wondered what lip balm she wore. Kurt never saw girls as more than friends. Some were just living dolls.

One day, Kurt was in his least favorite class, P.E. He had to wear these god-awful sweatpants and the ugly school shirt. He couldn't even choose his own shoes, but then again he didn't own any sneakers. He had to borrow his father's. Kurt didn't sweat during gym because he never really worked that hard: he did the required excercises then sat down and drew more sketches. More recently though, Zack Bash had invited him to play basketball often. Zack Bash was one of the most popular boys in their grade. He was pretty and preppy and consequently Zack went out with Kelly Spanowski, one of the most popular girls. Zack's kindness did come with an agenda because he wanted to know more about his girlfriend. Kurt knew this but he still thought Zack was a good guy.

In the locker rooms, Kurt had just changed back into his formal attire when he was walking past the showers. He heard the water running and just rolled his eyes at the fact someone would actually use the filthy things. Kurt rather clean himself with the school's toilet water. Suddenly, there he was. Zack was taking a shower. Zack was naked. Zack was beautiful. Adolescence was doing him a lot of favors body wise. The water trickled down his limber, musclar body. He was taller than most of the boys and had a lean, tanned swimmers body that made Kurt...jealous? Maybe, but of whom: Zack, who had it or Kelly, who got to touch it? He turned to the head and washed his golden hair, bathing his face in relief. Kurt subconsciously licked his lips. Zack's long fingers ran over his puffy chest that heaved slowly up and down. He walked backward into the water, so Kurt got a full view of _everything. _He didn't leave out of embarrassment or manners, he just watched him. He allowed himself to share this moment that so few got to. Kurt bit down on the inside of his cheek when Zack got to washing his waist.

Zack opened his eyes and he saw Kurt openly ogling him. He asked Kurt what he was looking at. When he didn't say anything, he asked him a second time with a lot less patience. The wheels in Kurt's mind creaked to a halt. He was panicking, not knowing what to say, he just shut down. Zack gawked at him, trying to figure out his deal when he looked down and saw an underdeveloped, erect bulge in the boy's trousers. He understood his deal now. Although he thought he knew the answer, Zack asked him if he was gay in an incredulous teasing tone. Kurt didn't defend himself, like Zack expected or hoped. He just ran out of the lockers and kept running.

The next day, everyone just stared at him. The boys and the girls let him walk alone in the hallways. That's when he first heard the words. _Faggot. Fairy. Queer. _Soon, he was being beaten with them. When Kurt walked into a room, there would either be silence or laughter but that was better than the whispers. The boys got more aggressive with their taunting, harassing Kurt by shoving him into lockers and tripping him. Once, a kid came up behind him while he was getting his books and whispered '_Don't get excited, Queer. I just came to give you a gift.' _A balloon full of something that wasn't water hit the back of his neck. The crowd of students hooted and hollered. Kurt simply just walked away with a stoic face. He went home and sat in his tub while the shower was running. The echoes of the children resounded with the sentence _'Don't you like to get pissed on, you fag?!' _The shower water and some of his own tears came down his face.

* * *

Kurt made it to 8th grade graduation, without telling his father and without killing himself. Burt assumed that Kurt wanted to go to the public high school with the rest of kids he grew up with but his son protested. Kurt gave him a blue folder that had 'Quetin Academy' on the front. He explained that he already had taken the entrance exam and passed with flying colors. Searching the pamplet, Burt saw that his expressive son would have to wear a uniform and questioned the issue. Kurt was silently grieving over that, but he thought that going to a school where the kids are intelligent and aware of different backgrounds might lead him to more open minds. Therefore, it was sacrifice he was willing to make.

But it wasn't different. The kids still teased him for glaming up his uniform and wearing a satchel. Arguably, it wasn't as bad as middle school but it was still enough to make Kurt want to change. One night, he looked around his room. Posters of starlets from the 1950's and the works of his favorite designers graced the seafoam green painted walls. His bed was full of pillows from Bed, Bath and Beyond. Fabrics messed about the floor, coloring up chaos. It was time to renovate, he decided. One by one, he took his pictures down. The room was re-painted a dull gray color. He stored all of his sewing tools and materials in cardboard boxes. Taping them over, one, two, three times, as if he was afraid they might resurface by themselves. Kurt effectively erased himself from his room. Now, all he had to do was work on his mind. He was close, _so damn close_, until he met Mercedes.

At the beginning of 10th grade, Kurt was becoming adjusted in his new lifestyle. He wasn't well, not even _good_ but adjusted. Burt saw the dramatic change in his son but thought it was just a phase with the hormones and mood swings of being a teenager. He decided to let it be. Kurt was sitting by himself at lunch, when he saw a girl also sitting by herself. The way she color coordinated her shoes and headband got his attention. He tried to fight himself from complimenting her, but he could not. The girl graciously smiled and saw the hat that was clipped to the side of his black bag and said she liked it. Kurt faltered a smile and was about to walk away until she invited him to sit down. Her name was Mercedes. Their particular conversation about accessories and music sealed their friendship and little by little, Kurt came back to life again.

The school's reigning bully was Santana Lopez and unfortunately new girl Mercedes Jones was her target. After giving her a good thrashing in the cafeteria one day, Mercedes ran out in tears. Kurt quickly followed. They decided to take a mental health half-day. He cleaned Mercedes in the Girls' bathroom and drove them back to his house. Mercedes was paranoid about Mr. Hummel catching them, but Kurt told her that although he probably would be upset, his father would never cause a scene in front of company. It was the first time Mercedes would ever be in Kurt's room and it was just the opposite of his lavish personality. They sat on his bed and practiced the Cat's cradle with some yarn.

"So..."Mercedes said, after a long period of quiet. "What did you mean by what you said before you kissed me?"

"What?" Kurt pretended not to remember.

"You said, 'How you look right now is how I feel on the inside'. What did you mean?" Kurt stopped wrapping the string around Mercedes' small fingers and sighed.

"I-I don't know. I just feel...trapped." Kurt confessed, with his eyes far away.

"Why?" Mercedes asked, innocently. He folded his legs and sat up to go on. Kurt never spouted his feelings like this to anyone before, but also, no one had ever asked.

"I've been acting, hiding myself. People love to tell you, _Just wait. In four years, you'll be rid of this place and you can be anyone you want. _But, you know, I think the thing they don't realize is...it's really hard to think about tomorrow, when today hurts so much. I don't want to pretend anymore, but I have to survive-"

"Survive? Kurt, you talk like this is war-"

"It is, Mercedes!" Kurt cried out tenderly. "You can win. You can lose. Or you can just surrender."

"Kurt, you're amazing." Mercedes reassured. "What do you have to hide?"

"...In middle school, I was kind of popular. Yeah, you know, all the girls were my friends so all of the boys thought I was screwing around with all of them, I guess. But I wasn't. I mean, I knew some gorgeous girls but-I never wanted to kiss them or hold their hand. It just felt really foreign to me. Unnatural, even."

"But, you kissed me?"

"Yes. Not out of romance, though. More because I believe we're kindred spirits." The friends softly smiled at each other, while mirroring their hands at the fingertips.

"...So, kissing a boy is natural to you?" Mercedes continued. Kurt sniffled and shrugged with a sad smile.

"I don't know, I've never done it. Though, I've wanted to Mercedes. I really have." Thinking of his hapless crush on Zack Bash made Kurt shut his eyes in pain.

"So. You're gay." Mercedes said, with a growing soft grin, seeing that this was a milestone in Kurt's life. She didn't say it as a question, or an accusation, or a judgement. It was a plain statement. A few moments later, Kurt slowly nodded and concluded something he never said out loud to anyone.

"I'm gay."

* * *

Mercedes and Kurt decided the next step was to tell Burt. Kurt begged for Mercedes to stay for it but she said that this should be something just between him and and his father but he was to come over if "anything happens". That was code for "if you get kicked out, you're more than welcome to stay with me", though Mercedes had more faith in Mr. Hummel than that. When Burt got home from the garage that day, things seemed normal. Kurt made and served dinner, beef stroganoff tonight. But afterward, Kurt led him into the living room. He cautiously sat down on the brown couch, with his sweaty palms at his knees.

"What's up, Kurt?" Burt asked in a regular voice.

"Dad...I have to tell you something." Kurt quaked.

"Well, I'm listening."

Kurt disappeared into his room for a second to bring out his boom-box. Burt was even more confused now but wanted to see where his son was going with this. He placed it next to his feet and pressed play. The music was like the 80's synth pop that Burt hated so much when it first became popular but couldn't help tapping his foot for.

**[Kurt]**

_We can fight our desires_

_ But when we start making fires_

_We get ever so hot_

_Whether we like it or not_

_They say we can love who we trust_

_But what is love without lust? _

_Two hearts with accurate devotions_

_ And what are feelings without emotions? _

_I'm going in for the kill _

_I'm doing it for a thrill_

_ Oh I'm hoping you'll understand _

_And not let go of my hand_

Kurt leaned down and shut off the song. Burt raised his eyebrows in true puzzlement and made a staggering applause for his son.

"..Um, well, that was a nice performance Kurt, but I still don't get what you're trying to tell me." Burt remarked. Kurt didn't know what he was thinking. Of course his father wouldn't get it from cryptic lyrics. Burt needed things to be laid out for him, like his clothes.

"I-I'm gay, dad." Kurt stuttered.

Some beats passed, then Burt said "That's it?"

"...Yes..?"

"Yeah, I...I pretty much knew that, Kurt." Burt scratched the back of his neck, trying not to smile at his son's face. Kurt's mouth opened in surprise but didn't know what to say. "I knew ever since you wanted to be Madonna for that Halloween and you made the cone-bra-thing." Burt made a circular motion with this thumb and pointer around his chest.

"Bustier." Kurt corrected with a smile. Mr. Hummel allowed his son to be Madonna for that Halloween on two conditions. The first was that he could not wear the cone bustier but he could wear Like-A-Virgin lace. The second was that instead of making rounds in their neighborhood, they would go to the local mall for candy. Burt wanted to go to a place where people could just wonder if Kurt was a boy or a girl, instead of their community where all the kids knew them and would tease him. When his son said 'Thank you' to the cashiers, some of them did double takes but Burt just glared them down into silence.

Burt got up and walked towards Kurt. He held his son's shoulders at arm's length and stared into the eyes that looked so much like his wife's.

"Listen, there is nothing you could do or be that would make me ashamed of you, do you hear me?" Kurt nodded, as his eyes stung with tears.

"You are my son, Kurt. My only job is to protect you, support you and love you." Burt kissed the side of his soft cheeks like he was 7 years old again and locked him into a warm, bear-like embrace. Burt finally let Kurt go and Kurt wiped the rims of his eyes.

"So, is this what all this darkness is about, huh?" Burt asked playfully, referring to Kurt's transformation of clothing and lifestyle. "All this doom and gloom?"

"Yeah. Yeah, pretty much." Kurt sniffed and laughed. Suddenly, Burt went downstairs to the basement and trekked upstairs with some cardboard boxes. Kurt followed his dad to the kitchen, where he put the boxes on the table.

"Well, that Kurt's fine..." Burt said, looking in drawers for a box cutter. In one swift motion he opened one of boxes' flaps and Kurt looked inside to see the fabrics and sewing machine he knew he set outside for the trash.

"But I want _my _Kurt back."

Kurt was at a loss for words, he choked them up in his throat. Therefore, he jumped in his father's arms to give him another hug and Burt laughed heartily.

* * *

The next weekend, Kurt and Burt redecorated. Instead of the green Kurt used to have on his walls, he went with a pretty peach color. His bed had all pillows they could find in Ohio and all of the pictures and posters went back up. Burt bought Kurt a mannequin to add to his renewed sewing corner, plus some new fabrics. If Kurt wanted some new outfits for winter, he had to get started quickly. Kurt found all of his Quetin Academy apparel and decided to add some personal touches to them, permanently. He sewed his name in cursive on the back of his collared shirts. He dressed up the plain Q and made it more flashy and ornate. His added buttons to his blazer and black bookbag. Before leaving for school that Monday, Kurt snuck into a room that was normally closed off in the house. The room had a big window full of natural light and a wooden blue clothes trunk. There was a small T.V. with a single VHS tape on top labeled 'Sarah' and on the end table was a picture of baby Kurt and his parents, all smiles.

Kurt picked the picture up and said, "Hey, Mom. I'm back."

When Kurt got to school, Mercedes saw Kurt's metamorphisis and greeted him beaming. They held hands and entered the double doors together. Things were the same, naturally. The kids taunted and teased but Kurt didn't care. When they made fun of him and asked him if he was gay, Kurt simply said "Well, I don't see how it's any of your business but yes, I am."

After that, some of the bullies shut their mouths confounded, not knowing what to say next. The rest of them continued to poke fun with slurs and dergatory comments, but Kurt was done hiding. He wasn't going to run away. He wasn't going to surrender. He was going to fight the good fight.

For a long time, Kurt didn't gain any friends after that. Naive, he thought maybe his coming out would influence others to do the same, but no. People have come forward and congratulated him but no one joined him. Could he possibly be the only gay in the school? Having Mercedes and Tina was great, but desperately he wanted to find someone who could relate to what he went through. He thought he found that in Blaine.

Blaine Anderson was everything Kurt wanted his husband to be: smart, focused, dreamy, stylish of course. With his hazel eyes and gel-slicked hair, every word from his mouth made Kurt swoon. After meeting at the Valentine's day dance they were inseperable. They had old movie parties and Blaine joined his fashion club. With their shared sense in fashion, Blaine and Kurt spent afternoons in the city's garment district going from store to store looking for fabrics, notably without Mercedes. Once, on the sidewalk, Blaine looped his arm around Kurt's and pointed to a store window. Kurt tried to pretend he wasn't effected by the boy's touch but his mind was reeling. He remembered the last time he had a crush on someone and tried not to jump to conclusions. But why would he do that if he wasn't...

Finally, Kurt asked Blaine if he was gay at dinner. They had just seen a Barbra Steisand double feature and were having Sushi. Blaine made an uncomfortable laugh and said no. Also, when Blaine saw Kurt's disappointed look, he apologized for doing anything to lead Kurt on or make him think otherwise and hoped they could still be friends. Kurt said, "Yes. Sure." but he cried on the phone to Mercedes later that night, feeling like an absolute fool.

"God, Mercedes. Am I so desperate to find someone that I'm just making things up in my head?" Kurt asked tearfully.

"Kurt..."

"No, I'm just so pathetic-"

"Stop right there! You are not pathetic. You just really liked him." Mercedes answered. Kurt nodded, though she couldn't see.

"Don't worry," Mercedes said. "You'll find someone. Better than Blaine. It may take some time, but you will."

Some days after, when the day was finished Blaine pulled Kurt into the auditorium. Blaine ran to the piano onstage and started to play a few bars, as the band was packing up behind him. Kurt stayed in the audience, preferring to just stay an admirer because he and Blaine would never be in the same act.

Then, Blaine said, "What are you doing down there? Get up here!" Kurt reluctantly hopped the stage and joined Blaine at the piano.

"Mmm," Blaine closed his eyes as he played a soft melody. Kurt turned away to hide his blush and what he was thinking. "I love the stage. Prom's gonna be wild."

"You're performing?"

"Yeah..."

* * *

_"Quetin, sexy, teen, boy band." Principal Figgins announced to the Boys' Choir in his office with mixed reactions. "You did an impeccable job at the Valentine's concert."_

_"Thank you, sir-" Sam began to speak for them._

_"So impeccable, that I would like for you to start performing at all social events! Starting with prom."_

_"Senior prom?" Blaine asked, as the boys looked at eachother with excitement._

_"No. The seniors blew the budget. They're getting dead mice to DJ for them." The principal mimed a turntable and made a failed attempt to beatbox. _

_"Ew." Puck said._

_"You'll be grooving at your junior prom." The Principal added._

_"Because you don't have anymore money for us." Mike concluded._

_"Precisely. The Girls' Choir will be sharing the stage with you." _

_"What does Schuester have to say about this? I mean, we only got to perform at the Valentine's concert because he allowed it." Artie asked worriedly._

_"I'll handle him. Just make sure you bring your entracing hip rolls and seductive music to the dance."_

* * *

"Wow, that's great Blaine." Kurt said, discreetly playing with the keys. Blaine recognized that Kurt was playing a song and wondered out loud, "Do you sing, Kurt?"

Kurt took his hands down from the smooth piano and looked down, kind of embarrassed. "Well, other than my mirror, my camcorder, my dad and Mercedes, I've never really sung in front of anyone before."

"Won't you sing for me?" Blaine pleaded.

"I-I don't know-"

"Please? It's only us." Blaine cajoled with searing eyes that made Kurt's brain go fuzzy. So, he drew in a deep breath and pressed a key. Then, another. Soon, a very soft lulling ballad poured from the hammers and keys. Kurt closed his eyes and sung with pitch to the moon.

**[Kurt]**

_If I could open my arms_  
_And span the length of the isle of Manhattan,_  
_I'd bring it to where you are_  
_Making a lake of the East River and Hudson_  
_If I could open my mouth_  
_Wide enough for a marching band to march out_  
_They would make your name sing_  
_And bend through alleys and bounce off all the buildings._

Blaine turned behind him and saw that the band was back, playing along with Kurt. They never omitted an opportunity to jam. Kurt didn't see them, because his eyes were still closed and he thought the music was inside his head. He also didn't see the way Blaine was staring at him right then. Unbridled attraction was radiant on his face.

**[Kurt]**

_I wish we could open our eyes_  
_To see in all directions at the same time_  
_Oh what a beautiful view_  
_If you were never aware of what was around you_  
_And it is true what you said_  
_That I live like a hermit in my own head_  
_But when the sun shines again_  
_I'll pull the curtains and blinds to let the light in._

_Sorrow drips into your heart through a pinhole  
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound  
But while you debate half empty or half full  
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown_

**[Kurt & Blaine]**

_Sorrow drips into your heart through a pinhole  
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound  
But while you debate half empty or half full  
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown_

The two boys sung together with voices so different yet flowing like a river downstream. Blaine took the other side of the piano to harmonize with the momentarily aloof Kurt. Blaine saw Kurt that day. He saw everything he was and that he deserved to be loved more than anyone he knew. He couldn't ignore how perfect he was anymore. Blaine's head was becoming full, drowing in his own growing love...for Kurt.

**[Kurt & Blaine]**

_Your love is gonna drown_

_Your love is gonna drown_

_Your love is gonna drown_

**[Kurt]**

_Your love is gonna..._

On the final note, Kurt felt a hand clasping around his neck. His lips pressing to another's, with a tongue eager for acceptance. Kurt thought he was drifting into a state delirium, but strong arms held him close. When he regained consciousness and opened his eyes, he saw that Blaine, who wasn't gay, was kissing him. So, Kurt kissed him back.

* * *

Mercedes and Kurt were driving back to the Jones' residence after an afternoon of spa treatment. With Mercedes' rising popularity due to her now officially dating Puck, she made appearences at parties and keggers on his arm regularly. She tried to invite Kurt to these soiree's but he declined, saying they weren't his scene. This left them with little to no time together outside of school, so they decided to dedicate at least one day to eachother a week. On Best Frienday (Saturday), they were in Kurt's Escalade, singing their own rendition to Teena Marie's _Dear Lover _from Kurt's iPod and killing it, as usual. They were approached Mercedes' house when another song came on. It was much sadder than the songs they'd usually sing together. Mercedes was about to change the tune of the music and the atmosphere in the car but Kurt told her not to touch it. When she asked what was wrong, he just sang.

**[Kurt]**

_Silly Of me to think that I could ever have you for my guy_  
_How I love you... how I want you..._  
_Silly of me to think that you could ever really want me too _  
_How I love you..._

"Kurt...?" Mercedes questioned, worried when she thought she saw tears in his eyes.

**[Kurt]**

_You're just a lover out to score _  
_I know that I should be looking for more_  
_What could it be in you I see_  
_What could it be..._  
_Oh, Love, oh, love, stop making a fool of me_  
_Oh, Love, oh, love, stop making a fool of me_

Mercedes turned off the radio and petted Kurt's shaking back. He wiped his eyes and gripped the steering wheel.

"Kurt, what's wrong?" Mercedes consoled.

Kurt took a deep inhale through his nostrils, "You know how we thought Blaine wasn't gay?" Mercedes nodded. "Welp, turns out he's gay with _me_ but straight for the rest of the world."

"What?"

"He kissed me then took it back in what may be the longest iPhone message ever." When Mercedes' still looked like she couldn't believe it, he continued, "He talked about how he was 'confused' and he's 'never done this before'. Newsflash! Neither have I!" Kurt waved his hands frantically. "Watch FOX or NBC to get the story first!"

"No, not FOX." Mercedes declared. "They wouldn't cover that. Too gay." She got Kurt to peep out a little smirk but then he fell back into depression.

"I don't know, Mercedes. I mean, everytime I'm with him or not with him, doesn't really matter" Kurt put his hand on his heart, "It feels like my still-beating heart will explode, it's...fucking painful. To say the least."

Mercedes made a sad smile and ran her fingers' through Kurt's hair, sighing, "It sounds like you're in love, boo." Kurt rubbed his chest, like another volcano erupted in his lungs. "Which is why it's really hard for me to say, screw Blaine. You deserve to be with someone who wants to be with you in the light and the dark. And I know how hard you've worked to get here and have some peace with yourself. If Blaine rather be in the dark for the rest of his life, fine. That's his choice. But Kurt, you deserve a little sunshine." Kurt waved at his eyes to rid of the waterworks and grabbed Mercedes into a hug.

"Thank Gaga for you, Mercedes. I'm so glad I have at least one confidant I can tell anything to."

Mercedes was feeling guilty in this moment. Kurt spilled all of the beans about his feelings and relationship (or potential breakup) but Mercedes barely talked about her choice moments with Puck. Kurt was still confused as to why they were dating in the first place. So, Mercedes decided now was a better time than ever to come clean.

Mercedes released Kurt from her arms and said, "Kurt?"

"Hmm?"

"You know how I'm with Puck now?"

"Yes," Kurt responded, "And as random and repulsive as that is, I'm happy if you are."

"...That's just it. It's not as random as you think." Kurt gave her a sideways glance and Mercedes went on. "You remember how you accused me and Sam of hooking up?"

"Yes..." Kurt said, the excitement raising in his tone.

"Well...we did..butitwasn'twhatyouthink!" Mercedes defended quickly, but it was too late: Kurt was in fangirl mode.

"OhmyGod, ohmyGod! So, how did it happen? Did he kiss you first? Did you kiss him? Did he ravish you on the library table?" Kurt talked a mile a minute while his hands were at his cheeks. "This. Is. So. _Scandalous_!"

"Yeah, but not for the reasons you think."

"Well, give me the word Morning bird!" Kurt said impatient. Mercedes bit her lip and continued.

"...I asked Sam to help me with guys, but not like 'set me up'. Not at first. I wanted him to...teach me things. Like, sexual things. Then, when he thought I knew enough, he would tell other guys about me and eventually I would climb the social ladder and take you with me. He was unwilling at first but I changed his mind about it and so...I met Puck." When Mercedes got all of that out, she realized how bad it all sounded but was expecting Kurt to give her snaps for taking charge of her sexuality. However, he didn't say anything for a while. He just absorbed her words.

Then, "Mercedes Belinda Jones..." he started, earnestly. "Why would you _ever_ do something like that?" He scolded quietly.

"What do you mean?" Mercedes scoffed.

"You gave one of the most precious things you have to a complete stranger. Not for love, maybe in some part for lust, but mostly for popularity. Instead of waiting for someone who loves you and truly cares about you, you just settled. No, you _begged_. You didn't care what Sam thought of you and I don't if that's good or bad. But what you've done is not only shallow, it's disgusting and Mercedes you are so much better than that...I just wished you believed it."

Mercedes was stunned. Her mouth was working trying to work up an answer but she said nothing. The only thing Mercedes knew was that she wanted to get out of the car. As she was fighting the belt buckle, Kurt realized her anger. "Mercedes..." he tried to appeal to her, but she slammed the door loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I'm sorry." Kurt said, when Mercedes was inside of her house, crying into her pillow.

* * *

Kurt did not pick up Mercedes the following Monday. Just like how Mercedes didn't answer the phone when he tried to call, making him leave a ton of messages in her voicemail. School was lonely without her, but if she listened to any of those messages in her answering machine, Mercedes knew how sorry he was. The ball is in her court now. Someone he didn't call that weekend was Blaine. All day in the halls, when Blaine would smile towards him or wave casually like nothing happened, Kurt just gave the cold shoulder. Finally, Blaine pulled Kurt aside, making himself noticed.

"Okay, so, I didn't know the silent treatment was in fashion?" Blaine joked. "I guess that's what I get for missing _Project Runway_ last night."

"You think it's a big joke, don't you?" Kurt sneered. "You think you can just give me your affections then take them away like, 'Ha-ha, just kidding!'" Blaine's happy demeanor sobered and he pulled Kurt even further into the courtyard behind a vine-laced column.

"I thought you understood." Blaine started with a hushed voice. "It's all crazy in my head right now. I'm confused-"

"You didn't seem so confused with you're tongue down my throat!" Kurt raged quietly.

"Listen, I just need time to digest things."

"All right, you got it." Kurt hastily walked away only for Blaine to pull him back in again. Kurt noticed a pattern and prayed it wouldn't always be like this for him. Not just with Blaine but with "confused" guys in general.

"Kurt, I-I'm not like you, okay?" Blaine stammered, holding Kurt's wrist. "I don't like having things out in the open like that. I'm a more reserved person. Please understand." Blaine pleaded with doe eyes. Fury fumed from Kurt so strongly that he had to back away from Blaine because he was afraid that he might hit him or cry. Whichever came first.

"I do understand." Kurt said strongly. "I understand that there's a difference between being reserved and hiding who you are, and Blaine I'm done with that phase of my life. If you want to stay inside your head with everyone's expectations and your fears and doubts, then I can't force you to leave that. I won't." Kurt shook his head.

"But all the same, I won't wait for you either." Kurt continued. "You can have the darkness. But I'll never go back to that again. I refuse, because I shine better in the light."

"So, what? We can't be friends?" Blaine asked, as if he completely missed the point. He didn't though.

"Well, honestly, right now, no. For me...quite frankly, it hurts to be around you. So, until I get over that-or until you get over _this_-I don't see how we can be." Kurt made a broken smile, while Blaine return a crooked one. He wanted to kiss him again but-_ugh_, so many people. Blaine already slipped up with the band he couldn't do it again.

"Kurt-"

"See you, Blaine." Kurt quickly left the scene, leaving Blaine by himself before he said another aching word. When Blaine and everyone else was out of sight, Kurt covered his mouth and sobbed.

* * *

**A/N: Whoo. Okay. So, whadja think of Kurt, huh? I hope I did him an AU justice. I'm really sorry there was no Puckcedes/Samcedes interaction in this but tbh...there's not going to be in the next chapter either! But you will have Sam and Mercedes with their respective friends and I'll leave it at that. Reviews are wonderful. Thanks for reading.**

**Songs Used:**

**"In For The Kill" by La Roux [Kurt]**

**"Marching Bands of Manhattan" by Death Cab for Cutie [Kurt & Blaine]**

**"Silly" by Deniece Williams [Kurt, **This is a song I would love to see Chris Colfer sing on Glee**]**


	9. Proposals

"Hey," A voice said behind Mercedes, nearly scaring her out of her wits. She turned around and saw it was Artie, smiling kindly in his wheelchair.

"Oh," Mercedes sighed with her hand relaxing her heart, "Hey, Artie."

"Are you doing anything right now?"

"No. This is my study hall." Mercedes was also moonlighting as her boyfriend's hall monitor. Puck promised her that he wouldn't cut class anymore but he also promised that he'd stop calling her "Puddin'". Secretly, after a while she became accustomed to the nickname but Mercedes would never get used to Puck not caring about school. It was too important and so was he.

"Well, this is my free period too. What d'ya know?" Artie revealed brightly. He rolled around Mercedes to lead her in his direction. "C'mon, girl. Walk wit me, talk wit me."

Mercedes and Artie floated around campus for a bit before settling in the courtyard watching the cheerleaders practice, headed by none other than Miss Satan Lopez herself. Mercedes didn't quite know if she still hated her though, to be honest. At a recent party, a buzzed Santana found Mercedes when Puck was absent and gave her an apology for all the things she did to her, slurring "I'm s-sorry that I put tots in your locker...and in your hair...and in your gigantic boobs...GOD! THOSE THINGS COULD BE AIR BAGS!" In a second flat, Santana put her hands to both of breasts and made a face dive into them, blowing a raspberry.

Santana threw her head back in drunk giggles and said, "YESS! I made them fart!" Mercedes was absolutely mortified. She hadn't even let Puck or Sam do that and the former asked to. A few whoops from horny, drunk high-school boys and a familiar face, Quinn, came to drag the inebriated party queen away. "...But Quinn, you don't have boobs!" Santana complained. "I'll still motor you, though."

Although gone from sanity, Santana did apologize and seemed to remember when she sobered. At school, Santana would give a civil head nod towards Mercedes instead of the menacing kisses she would blow her way. Puck reassured her that although she was clearly intoxicated, Santana rarely apologizes _for anything_ so it was probably coming from a sincere place. Little did she know, she only did so because Puck asked her to.

Abruptly, Santana yelled towards them, "Hey, four-eyes! I know you can't control your legs but you need to keep those eyes in check before I turn you into Whitey Wonder!" She pointed a finger at the boy, then two at her devilish eyes. Switching her change of mood, Santana threw a head nod toward Mercedes and called, "Hey, Mercedes." Yeah, no. Mercedes still kind of hated her.

"So, what are you doing for Prom?" Artie asked, completely unfazed by what just happened.

"Artie...you know I have a boyfriend." Mercedes said, disappointed at him.

"Bye, girl." Artie waved her off. "I mean, I would probably holla if you weren't already with my mans, but I have a date, thank you for asking."

"Oh? Who?" Mercedes said, happy for the boy who gets little attention from girls.

"Brittany Pierce."

"Brittany? The girl who calls you R2-D2?"

"Chyeah."

Brittany Pierce was one of those 'apparently-smart-but-somehow-really-dumb' cases. She could write an essay about why Katy Perry should be President and get full points for accurately backing up her arguments. She is an in-between sophomore-junior allowing her to have auto shop with Artie and go to Junior Prom with him.

* * *

_While replacing the canister to one of Mr. St. Pierre's model hoopties, Artie felt an insistent tap on his shoulder. All he saw were long, creamy legs and he followed them up to Brittany's baby grin._

_"So, I know your secret." Brittany spoke softly, childishly grounding her toes into the floor and rocking side to side._

_"Secret?" Artie said with a blank face. Not only was he struck with the little miracle of a girl choosing to talk to him but the probability of this going somewhere that wasn't offensive or dumb, made his head freeze in time._

_"Yeah. You're a robot."_

_Artie's brain quickly de-thawed in the ever-present microwave of others' idiocy._

_"You use technology, like all the time. AV Club, here. You're really good at math and computers. You're using this wheelchair as a disguise." Brittany explained, sure that she solved the mystery that wasn't._

_"Um-"_

_"I think it's cool. I mean, people are always afraid of something different but you don't care. You still come to school and use all of your abilities. You eat lunch, even though I'm sure you can't poop it. The chair makes everything harder for you but you keep going. I think you're really cool." Brittany wasn't trying to make fun of him. It wasn't a trick. With her warped theory, she showed him that he wasn't invisible and neither was his chair. Brittany recognized Artie's struggles-although misguided about them-and that touched him._

_"So, I think we should go to Prom." Brittany concluded abruptly. Artie's eyebrows raised in surprised delight. "But, I think you should go in your natural form. I want to show everyone my robo-date."_

* * *

"So, she thinks I'm a robot," Artie shrugged, "I can roll with dat." Mercedes snorted a laugh, then made a pout. "What's wrong?"

"I don't think I'm going to Prom."

"Why not?"

"Puck hadn't asked me."

"He has to?"Artie said in great disbelief.

"Well, Mike went to Tina with flowers at her school-"

"Okay, but Puck's not Mike." Artie stated. Mercedes looked down, feeling guilty. "To tell you the truth, I was real surprised when he did the whole daisy thing. He likes you a lot, Mercedes." Artie sat up in his chair, shifted to his side a little before saying, "So does Sam." Mercedes softly stared at Artie, not wanting to give away too much of her feelings.

"What are you talking about?"

"Baby, I'm crippled. Not blind."

"Sam and I only hooked up because I needed help with Spanish. Nothing more." Mercedes said, unsure about how much Artie actually knew about their relationship.

"Oh, really? Do you know of all the girls Sam 'hooked up' with, he only brought one to hang out with us? That's you. Like I said, Puck is my mans but Sam is my best friend. I've never seen him so down. He went from talking about you all the time to not at all. Plus, I miss you chillin' with us."

"I miss you, too." Mercedes said with a sad smile. "But, Artie, I can't just-"

"Look, the whole thing is none of my business, O.S.R.S. (On Some Real Shit). But, I know you and Sam had more than either of you are saying." Mercedes' mouth stood still but her eyes said it all. "And caring so much about someone is new for him and scary, but someone's gotta be the first to reach out. Might as well be me." Artie made a grin after pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"I don't know, Artie. I mean I gave him an opening to say something, _anything_-"

"Sam's lame!" Artie threw his half-gloved hands in the air. "Like I said, he's too afraid to admit his feelings. You don't have to give him another chance but all I know is that when I see you two together...that shit's magic. You both light up." He wiggled his fingers around his face sprightly. "But as my friends, I just want ya'll to be happy. I don't want to see anyone get hurt."

"Thanks." Mercedes smiled tenderly, a little sad that she now knew that Sam was hurting. But how was she supposed to know? At parties, at school, whenever they would see each other, he'd just walk the other way. Mercedes couldn't just leave Puck, though. He was good to her and maybe it wasn't the grand gesture, sweeping-you-off-the-floor type relationship, but that's not his fault. Like Artie said, he's not that kind of guy. Puck shows Mercedes that he cares about her in his small, laid-back ways and she noticed them. Puck's too good to be dropped like that and she did like him. Mercedes made a frustrated grunt, while going back and forth in her mind. It was all so complicated, too complicated to try to figure out in one free period.

"But," Artie said, "That's not the only thing I wanted to talk to you about." Mercedes straightened her posture, interested.

"What else?"

"Well, I heard through the grapevine that you got a voice on ya'." Mercedes shook her head bashfully humble. "I got a little somethin-somethin' I've been working with for Prom and I think you'd be perfect as my backup."

After some heavy persuasion and literal begging with kisses to her hand, Mercedes said 'yes'. However, she said 'no' when Puck asked her if their outfits should match for the Prom on the phone. She told him that only his vest and tie should match in the happiest tone imaginable. After they wished each other goodnight and hung up, Mercedes grabbed her pillow and squealed into it excitedly, but this was short-lived when she realized that she couldn't call the first person that came to her mind: Kurt.

* * *

Another school day was through and when that last bell rung, Sam wanted to fall to his knees and thank the Lord. He trudged past the kids in the hallways, faking goodbyes with some of his friends.

"HEY, EVANS!" Kurofsky's burly voice made a sonic boom towards Sam's ear. That's why hockey fit him so well: Dave barked commands that could break the sound barrier and could shove a guy twice his size through plexiglass. As they walked past each other, he still felt the need to yell although they were a few feet away.

"Junior Prom king, man! I'm coming for ya!" Sam feigned a smile and nod at big, young man and as soon as he turned away he made a deep breath and rolled his eyes. Swiftly, he was yanked through the opening of a surprise door. Sam's first instinct was to start swinging but the touch was too soft to be a guy. His back was pushed against the wall and his neck was attacked with lusty kisses. The lips felt a little slippery, like they couldn't get a firm hold on his skin, so teeth sometimes pricked. A tongue swiped his Adams' apple, making him shiver. Hands crawled up his torso and a skinny, limber leg wrapped around his waist. Warmth globed around their middles; the friction was becoming to much to bare. Due to missing the feeling of a body against him, Sam was about to give in but his brain knew better. His free hand groped the wall for a light switch.

When Sam's eyes fell on the kidnapper, he made a hard sigh and said, "Quinn."

The blonde still remained pressed to his frame, sucking his neck. "That's my name," She breathed. "Wear it out."

Sam put his hands on her shoulders, meeting her confused eyes. "What's wrong?" Quinn asked.

"Nothing. I just don't feel like it today."

Quinn took a step back from him and crossed her arms."You haven't been feeling like it for a while now. You know, the harem's mad at you."

If nothing else made Sam feel like an object, that last statement certainly did. Sam supposed his ego should have been elated to know that girls physically ached for him (Not Quinn's exact words but...)but for his person, it really hurt that no one cared to check up on him, except for Quinn.

"I forgot you all talk to each other..." He finally said.

"So, what's up? Is it school?"

"No, I just...it's nothing." Quinn took a closer look at Sam, teetering her head a little closer to see his hidden eyes from the best view. She acknowledged his puppy-dog look and scoffed.

"Holy shit," She whispered, with a keen smirk. "What's her name?"

Sam's eyebrows raised, then fell into a line. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Hmph, sure you do. I know that lovesick look." Sam said nothing. He couldn't think of anything to say, to Quinn, to Mercedes, to anyone about the situation. The frustration was wearing him down. Pitifully, his green eyes peered up at Quinn and he nodded his head embarrassed. Quinn's amusement with Sam faded when she saw how sad he looked.

"Okay, come on." Quinn took his hand and led him out of the storeroom closet, not caring who was outside to see.

"What are we doing?" Sam asked, while being dragged down the hallway.

"We're going to get a milkshake. My treat."

* * *

Sam got the milkshake Quinn promised and she ordered some fries for herself. She drove them to a high cliff, overlooking the city. They sat on the hood of her Volkswagen Beetle, feeling like the real world was at arms' length distance. Sam leaned back on his hands, watching the sun slowly disappear behind the buildings. He felt so at peace for the moment with his strawberry milkshake.

Then, of course, "So, who is she?" Quinn turned to Sam, pulling down the front of her skirt. "Do I know her?"

Her eyes' narrowed Sam into telling the truth, "Probably." He muttered. "She's Puck new girlfriend. I introduced you two once." Sam said, while taking another sip of his milkshake.

"Mercedes?" Quinn guessed. Sam nodded, surprised she even remembered her name. "Aww...I love her." She said sweetly.

"Do you, now?" Sam curiously stole a fry from it's red basket.

"Yeah, we've hung out at Kurofsky's parties. She's cute." The in crowd was amazingly receptive to Mercedes because her wide-eyed innocence gave them the power of corruption. However, Mercedes managed to stay her bubbly self and Quinn commended that.

"But she's like you and the harem. She only wanted me for sex, she didn't really like me. No one really likes me."

"You think that's what it about?" Quinn asked for Sam to shrug and say, "Isn't it?"

Quinn's face went to her lap and said, "God, guys are dumb." She shook her head before saying, "Dude, of course there are girls that like you. The harem? They all _love_ you. That's why they tolerate the fact that you sleep around because they think if they hang on long enough, maybe you'll pick them. They pretend they don't care to cover up how much they really do."

Sam's face slightly blushed at this brand new information. He tried not to smile because he did feel somewhat bad for being a little bit of a heart-breaker, but hell, it was cool.

Quinn breathed deeply, "Even I may have had a little crush on you." She disclosed her old feelings quickly before mashing some fries into her mouth.

"Really?" Sam brightly teased.

"To let you steal my underwear for an entire day, I better have!"

"Oh yeah." Sam chuckled at the memory.

When they first starting hooking up, Quinn pulled the same stealth move of pulling him into the same storeroom closet, while classes were still going on. As a cruel and unusual punishment, Sam made her go commando for the rest of the day. He stuffed the rose print bikini cut panties in her back pocket and returned it to her inside her bedroom, but not right away.

"So, what happened?" Sam asked earnestly.

Quinn shrugged, biting her lower lip, "I don't know. I got over it, I guess." Then, Sam barricaded Quinn by putting his arms on either side of her. Excitement washed over her face as Sam leaned in and watched her lips quiver slightly.

"You're over it?" He ghosted, breathing the words straight into her mouth. Quinn stared at him carefully to make sure he was joking, then she playfully hit his arm a few times, "Jerk!" Sam rolled back to his side of the car laughing.

When he stopped, Quinn said "So, what are you going to do?" Sam's hands rested behind his head as he laid down.

"I dunno. I guess I'll just wait until I get over it too."

Quinn sat on her elbows "...How strongly do you feel for Mercedes?" Sam's cheeks filled with air before letting out a dragon-like breath.

"It's like..." Sam sat up intently, trying to get his words together. "When I'm with her, I can forget all of my problems. They just...become thin air. I mean, it wasn't always like that, first she was a pain in my ass but-"

"You fell for her." Quinn said for him.

"But, whenever I see her with Puck, it's just..." Anger played out in his scrunched up lips and ruffled forehead. He mimed choking a person's thick neck. "I wanna flip a car over! I want to go to her and kiss her, right in front of him. It'll be so long and so good, she wouldn't even remember they dated."

"Wow." Was all Quinn said, taking a sip of Sam's milkshake. As unwilling she was to admit it to herself, Sam's passion was making her feel something down under.

"I wanna break something, do something. _Anything_, but I can't."

"Why not?"

Sam gave her an obvious look, "Puck's one of my good friends. I can't just-"

"Look, dating is not married." Quinn pointed out. "I know there are codes of friendship that everyone should adhere to, but if she is _it_ for you, then I say go for it."

"I tried to tell her how I felt in the most subtle way possible and she still didn't get it." Sam lied, scratching his neck. He never gave Mercedes the chance, too afraid to be rejected.

"Then, spell it out for her. Scream it in her face. Do anything to make her understand how you feel because life is too short to be scared and go through bullshit. So, be a home-wrecker."

Quinn grabbed a fry, dipped it in the boy's milkshake and said, "Y.O.L.O., Sam."

"But, what about Puck?" Sam sobered, while his stomach turned. Thinking about making a mess of things with Mercedes and Puck plus seeing Quinn's eating habits wasn't good for his appetite. Quinn got serious and sat up with him.

"Listen, it's like I said, _only_ do this if you're sure Mercedes just might be the one for you. Because if Puck is really your friend, he'll understand..." Quinn took a pregnant pause before adding, "Eventually."

Sam rubbed his eyes from being tired of all the complicated, "God, everything's just so fucked up."

Quinn sympathized by rubbing her hand along his shoulders, "I know it sucks. But whatever, it's life." Again, "Y.O.L.O."

"You have to stop saying that, Quinn."

"What? Y.O.L.O.? Yoloyoloyolo-"

"Stop."

* * *

On the way back into town, Quinn purposely passed their school where Sam's car was. When he asked why, she told him, "It'll be too out of my way. I have to go to my dad's house tonight, so I'll just pick you up tomorrow."

"I thought you only see your dad on holidays?" Sam asked as Quinn's baby blue beetle pulled into his driveway. Quinn turned off her radio and sighed in the driver's seat.

"Ever since the divorce finalized, my dad's been all about "quality time"," Quinn made a scoff with air quotes. "My sister's so lucky. She's free from all of this shit."

"I'm sorry about your parents' Quinn." Sam said, not knowing what else to say. He felt like he should add some words of his wisdom, being another child of divorce.

"You know, when my parents' were together...I just remember there being a lot of noise. Screaming and arguing would fill every room of the house. The twins were too young, they don't remember but Rosa would put on a show for us. Singing and dancing, like that Charo woman she made me watch with her. Anything to distract me but it didn't really work. You know how I found out my mom was gone?" Sam made the rhetorical question, finally looking up at Quinn and licking his lips. "There was silence. I thought I might've turned deaf but no, she packed her bags without a sound and that was it." That was the last Sam and the twins ever saw of their mother. Last he heard, she started a new life with a man in Connecticut, leaving her old family behind. He thought about looking for her but he couldn't ignore the facts: she never left a note. Or shot an email, or written a letter. Where they were wasn't a secret, so she could have come for them anytime she wanted. But she didn't. Sam concluded there was no use trying to find someone who didn't want to be found.

"I'm sorry, Sam." Quinn said softly and sincerely, feeling selfish for complaining about her parents' fighting over her. At least she knew both of them loved her, Sam probably wondered if he was ever loved at all. Sam cracked a smile, then faced his big, empty house.

"So," Quinn tried to lighten the mood, "Are you excited for prom?"

"No." Sam deadpanned. "If I didn't have to perform, I probably wouldn't go at all."

"Yeah, me either."

"Really, no one asked you?"

"No, guys have asked me, but their all cavemen or I'm just not attracted to them."

"It's Prom; not Noah's Ark." Sam said, before joking, "Maybe you're gay." Quinn shoved him harder then when he faked wanting to kiss her."Shut the fuck up!" He laughed heartily when he saw how red her face got.

"I was planning to ditch it too." She informed him. Quinn had a full-proof plan actually. She was going to get all dolled up and take pictures for her mother in the living room. Then, when her mother would ask where her date was, Quinn would explain that he was waiting for her at the Prom and she would bring back professional pictures with better lighting for her. Once Mrs. Ross-Fabray was persuaded to let her slide, Quinn would escape to the city. She walk around and count all the looks she'd get for her formal appearance. Quinn would sit on the giant water fountain near the plaza. Have a burger at the Pier. Go to a nightclub and probably get in, dancing all night. She'd come back to real life around 2 A.M. and fall asleep before hitting the pillows, convincing her mother that she had a good time. Quinn was good at that.

"But, you're nominated for Prom Queen." Sam stated, bringing Quinn back from her mind.

She shrugged nonchalantly, "It's not that big of a deal." Sam gave her a look, then she confessed "Okay, it is pretty bitchin'." Sam smiled and nodded.

"Hey, I have an idea." Quinn looked at Sam business-like, holding on to the steering wheel. "Why don't we go together?"

"What?"

"You'll have a confidant and I'll have someone my mom can picture her grandchildren with, so she won't ride me about it." Sam was skeptical about this and Quinn read it on his face, so she said, "Come on, Sam. Let's save each other the embarrassment of going Stag. Let's go to Prom as friends."

Sam was pensive before saying,"We are friends, aren't we?" Quinn thought about it too, before nodding and grinning kindly.

"Okay, Fabray," Sam held out a large hand for his friend to shake. "You got yourself a deal."

* * *

That weekend, Kurt wanted to just stay in and do nothing. His disastrous fight with Mercedes and falling out with Blaine had left him completely drained, still. It was a number of weeks ago and he was still suffering from the losses. Too pissed off and sad to make a healthy or hearty dinner, Kurt allowed Burt to order in Pizza. Kurt sat on his bed with a slice of pepperoni keeping him company as he stared at his phone. _Maybe, she'll pick up this time, _Kurt thought. He dialed Mercedes' number, pressing his hopes into each button. When he heard the sound of the phone ringing, he lost his nerve and hung up. On Saturday morning, or what was supposed to be Best Frienday, Kurt planned to just lay underneath his covers and re-read some of his books with a flashlight like he did when he was a kid. It was noon and he was on the second chapter of _Looking for Alaska_, before Burt pulled the covers over his head. The daylight revealed Kurt in his baggy sweatpants and a mess of Oreo's on his sheets. Usually, his father would leave him alone when Kurt wanted to be but today was not the day for this. Today, Burt had something up his sleeve.

Burt found the persuading his son to get out of the house was an easy feat after all. The flash of a credit card and suggestion to pick up some new fabrics had Kurt flying out the door. The money never came that easy: Regularly, Kurt would have to do housework for it. A few hours worth of shopping and five fresh rolls of fabric later, Kurt was feeling a little better. He pulled up next to his home and took off his seatbelt, humming the rest of "Get Happy". Kurt got out of the car and was walking around to the trunk for his new things, when he saw him. Just standing there. In front of his house.

Blaine made a lukewarm smile towards the almost angry Kurt. His hands were behind his back, to show he came absolutely defenseless but his rocking feet told that he was nervous.

Kurt stomped up to him and said, "What are you doing here?" Before snatching off his tortoise shaped sunglasses. Blaine chuckled to himself, "Nice touch."

"Answer the question." Blaine made a deep breath before he plummeted into the ocean of exhausting explanation.

"Kurt, I've been doing a lot of thinking about you. Each time I tried, I found I couldn't stop." Kurt cleared his throat loudly and folded his arms, wanting Blaine to get to the point. He couldn't endure anymore sweet words just for them to be swallowed back into his mouth. Not again.

"Look," Blaine rubbed his face, "I come from an all boys' school where there was only one gay kid. And they made his life Hell, I mean, everyday being shoved and kicked down. No matter how hard he cried, they wouldn't stop. I didn't want that to happen to me. I didn't want to be helpless. Powerless. As well, it didn't help that my parents are devoutly Catholic. You know that."

The Anderson's hosted a dinner for their son and his friend once. Kurt thought they were nice enough, however, it was hard to get food down his throat when they were shoving their beliefs down there instead.

"So, I thought, I could just switch it off, like a button until I met you." They both pulled a smile, but Kurt's was a little more reluctant. "I kept fighting myself and..." Blaine gulped a sob, "_Hurting _myself by not giving in to who I really am." Blaine smile grew a little bigger, before belting a verse that Kurt knew all to well because Blaine is a big fan and always played this in his room when they were together.

**[Blaine]**

_There's a lot that I don't know_  
_ There's a lot that I'm still learning_  
_ When I think I'm letting go_  
_ I find my body it's still burning_

_I could hear the sound_  
_ Of your voice still ringing in my ear_  
_ I'm going underground_  
_ But you'll find me anywhere I fear_

_I'm alive  
But I don't need a witness  
To know that I've survived  
I'm not looking for forgiveness  
Yeah I just need light  
I need light in the dark  
As I search for the resolution_

Kurt let down his guard, trying to fend off a few tears himself. His arms fell to his sides for Blaine to hold his hands.

"You brought me to life, Kurt. In every conceivable way. You gave me friendship and love and I took it for granted but if you give me another chance I swear I will never hurt you again. You have bewitched me, Kurt. I am here for you." Kurt laughed a little out of joy, fighting through his emotional tears. Blaine's singing provoked some passerby to watch the moving transaction between the two young lovers.

Blaine continued, "Like, I said I don't need forgiveness. I don't deserve it. What I did to you was awful." Blaine turned his head away shamefully before looked to Kurt again, "But, I would like to come into the light with you. If you'll have me." Kurt answered him with a hard, passionate kiss that would leave Blaine's mouth bruised for a week. The strangers gasped but then clapped at the tiny scene in their usually quiet neighborhood and went about their business.

When the boys' finally came up for air, Blaine whispered against Kurt's lips, "So, I take it this is a yes to Prom, too?"

Kurt's eyes glittered and he bit back a smile, before seriously asking, "Are you sure you want to do that? I mean, you just came out to me. The school and your parents are totally different ballgames." Kurt secretly relished in the fact that was the only sports' reference he'd ever make in his life.

"I told my parents." Kurt's mouth opened, not for Blaine's but for shock.

"And?"

"Surprisingly, they were okay with it." Blaine said, impressed with his parents' maturity but even more so, that God felt he was blessed enough to be born to such a pair. "They said, God made me in his image and they know who I am. 'Our incredible son, who we love.'" Blaine quoted with a tear falling. Kurt kissed it.

"As for the school," Blaine shrugged, "It doesn't matter because I'll be with you. As far as I'm concerned, it's going to be only us at Prom anyway." Kurt leaped into Blaine's arms and the older boy picked him to be swung around with glee. Suddenly, Burt came running out with a camera in hand.

"Dad?" Kurt said confused with his arms around Blaine.

"Yeah," Blaine started, "We kind of planned this together. I called him and he had to get you out of the house." Before Kurt could say anything, Burt called for a photo op. One with the new, blissfully happy couple and another one with Burt included. Kurt would have described the moment as perfect but it wouldn't be because he couldn't tell the one person that mattered: Mercedes.

* * *

**A/N: Hi! Since I didn't get much of a answer on Tumblr, I'll ask you guys:**

**Do you ya'll listen/like the songs I put in the story and would you prefer it if I posted them at the beginning? I have perfected the soundtrack for Junior Prom and I'm really excited to write it. However, that doesn't meant it'll happen right away. School just begun and I have a feeling I'll be swamped for a while but this is my parting gift to you.  
**

**Another message for those who read all of my stories: Due to the popularity of The Tutor, Heartstrings and Legacy will be on hiatus for a little while longer. But, after Junior Prom there will only be one or two more chapters of this part of the story and it'll be done.  
**

**As always, thanks for reading and reviews are lovely!  
**

**Songs used:  
**

**"The Resolution" by Jacks' Mannequin [Blaine, **I mixed up the verses to cater to the storyline**]**


	10. Junior Prom

**A/N: Hello! So, last chapter I asked you guys how you felt music in this story. I didn't get much feedback, which kind of sucks because music is going to be a focal point if I continue this. However, since this is Prom, of course a soundtrack needs to be included. Play the following songs in this order when necessary to enhance your reading pleasure:**

**"How We Do" by Rita Ora**

**"No You Girls" by Franz Ferdinand**

**"Hot in Herre" by Nelly**

**"Arms" by Christina Perri**

**"Bonfire" by Third Eye Blind**

**So, enjoy prom! One more chapter and The Tutor will be finished.**

* * *

Sam walked up to the Ross-Fabray household, with corsage in hand. He rung the doorbell and straightened his bowtie. The new black tuxedo fit perfectly but still, somehow the neck accessory ended up being a little small. Mrs. Ross-Fabray opened the door, smiling brightly. She was almost a spitting image of her daughter except her eyes were round and light. Quinn had a more knowing, soulful look.

"Hi!" She squealed, hugging Sam like she was attempting to pick-pocket him.

"Hi, Mrs. Ross-Fabray." Sam said, regaining his breath.

"Oh, please Sam, you know you can call me Kitty."

"Okay," Sam gulped and uncomfortably said, "Kitty." Kitty invited Sam into her home. She nibbled the young man with her eyes before asking, "Sam, do you work out?"

"Sometimes."

"Hm." Kitty stepped into Sam's personal space, closing the gap he created and fiddled with his hair. "Is this your real hair color or-"

"Mom!" Quinn interjected. She stood at the top of the staircase. Sam did a double take, as if he thought he saw a movie star. Quinn wore a nude colored dress that clung to her torso but flowed lovingly at the bottom. Her blonde hair was placed on her bare shoulders in old hollywood curls making her the image of Rita Hayworth. A beautiful clip pulled some of her locks from her doll-like face, shining beautifully against the chandelier in the middle of the main room. Her mother gasped and clapped her hands as she cascaded down the staircase.

"Quinny! Oh my Goodness!" Kitty flossed the barrette in her daughter's hair before she shrunk away from her.

"Mom..." Quinn shielded her hair before turning to Sam apologetically.

"Come, come! Let's take pictures!"

Kitty dragged the friends to pose in front of the fireplace. She strategically structured the couple, placing there arms and legs into the perfect prom picture. Sam's arms were around Quinn's waist with the girl holding them, sporting her Gardenia on her wrist. Quinn leaned against his chest and made a photogenic smile for her mother.

Sam whispered, "You look amazing, Quinn." While he had a moment inbetween the paperazzi shots Mrs. Ross-Fabray was taking.

Quinn turned to whisper back into his ear, "Thanks. You clean up good too."

Wanting to make sure her daughter had the full treatment, Kitty Ross-Fabray rented a towncar for them to arrive in. No limo because she and her ex were still settling the finances. There were no party favors in the car and the driver played nothing but 80's glam. Sam and Quinn still made the most of it by whaling away on air guitar. When they arrived in front of the school, they thanked the long-haired driver with rock on signs and he pulled off. They heard the music from outside of the gym and Quinn made a face.

"What?" Sam asked.

"I can't believe the seniors got DeadMau5 and we're just getting the shitty gym. Where people sweat." Sam shuddered now thinking about that and how many nosebleeds taken place during the practices, but then shrugged.

"All I know is," Quinn continued, "Next year, when we get the budget, we're going to have a ball."

"Now, that's what I'm talking about." Sam gave Quinn a guy's handshake before entering the gym.

Principal Figgins made his best and cheapest efforts to make the gym somewhat presentable. There were balloons everywhere of every color, on ceiling and on the corners of the floor. The stage was comparable to a glorified soapbox, just long and sturdy enough for the singers and the band to stand on. Artie's DJ gear had to settle for the ground. The tables were taken from the teachers lounge and had Party City glasses that said the year on them. Principal Figgins got them 75% off from a New Years' clearence sale.

The best thing about the gym was the crowd. Everyone was dancing and having a great time. Brittany and Artie were getting crunk (there was no other way to describe their dancing) and true to form, Artie wore a shiny metallic silver suit to do the robot in with his matching date. There was Mike and Tina. Sam saw Blaine dancing with Mercedes' friend, Kurt. He quirked an eyebrow first, then smiled greatly at the couple. This was the happiest he ever saw Blaine. Then, he saw them. Puck and Mercedes'. Sam tried not to look but Mercedes was devastingly gorgeous. In a strapless, shimmering mermaid coral gown with her hair in loose, ombre'd curls, she was a vision. Puck showed off what he considered to be his most impressive moves, though they'd only impress the blind. Mercedes laughed and tried to keep up. Sam sighed and looked away, while Quinn took note. So, she nudged Sam and nodded in the stage's direction. Santana was the star of the moment, stunning in red with a sexy updo.

**[Santana]**

_I stumbled up to the window_  
_Opened the curtains to blinding light_  
_Make up all over the pillow_  
_What went on? what went on?_  
_What went on last night?_  
_You look so sweet while you're dreaming_  
_Holding your bottle of Tanqueray_  
_It isn't even the weekend_  
_Maybe thats, how I know, you're the _  
_one for me_

Because Santana was Santana, she didn't skimp on the cursing, making chaperone Mrs. Pillsbury-Schuester, or P.S. as the kids called her, visibly uncomfortable.

**[Santana]**

_I wanna party and bullshit_  
_And party and bullshit_  
_And party and __bullshit_  
_And party and bullshit_  
_And party, and party_

"So, this is prom." Quinn declared.

"Yup."

"All right. Dance with me then." Quinn grabbed Sam and led on onto the dancefloor before he could protest.

"Quinn, I don't-"

"Shut up, Sam!"

Quinn tried to dance seriously and that made her look like she was kidding. Sam cracked a smile, before goofilly joining her.

**[Santana]**

_Cause when the sun sets baby on the avenue_  
_I get that drunk sex feeling yeah, when I'm with you_  
_So put your arms around me baby, _  
_We're tearing up the town_  
_Cause that's just how we do_  
_We got that sweet heart loving_  
_Dancing in the dark_  
_Out in the streets we're running, _  
_Shut down every bar_  
_So, put your arms around me baby_  
_We're tearing up the town_  
_Cause that's just how we do, how we do_  
_Yeah, that's how we do_  
_How we do_  
_How we do_

After a few more cabbage patches, Sam was beginning to have a good time. Mercedes was doing a fast two step with Puck's arm around her waist, before seeing Sam with Quinn over his shoulder. Something broke in her heart seeing them, but Puck spun her around and everything went to bliss.

Towards the end of the song, Santana got the crowd riled up into chanting 'PARTY AND BULLSHIT AND PARTY AND BULLSHIT!" Mrs. P.S. covered her ears and tried to get everyone to calm down but Principal Figgins was no help: he was bopping and screaming it just as loud as the kids.

* * *

Mercedes sat at a table with a plate of the cafeteria food masked as to be catered by putting it in steel containers instead of aluminum. She was thinking that maybe some mashed potatoes would calm her nerves about singing with Artie but it didn't. She really some support right now but her boyfriend was onstage with the rest of the group. It was Boys' Choir's turn to rock the house.

Sam, Puck and Blaine strapped themselves with different guitars while Artie was on the floor setting up the equipment. The boys didn't want their friend to be separated from the group, so they all decided to perform on the floor with Artie instead of above him. Once Artie gave a thumbs up, he pressed a button and Sam started the bass with Puck's lead guitar. Mike, in the center of it all, mimicked his rock n' roll idol, Elvis and swirled around to grasp the microphone before slicking his hair back with his palms. It was his debut and he was going to milk it for all it was worth.

**[Mike]**

_Oh, kiss me_  
_Flick your cigarette, then kiss me_  
_Kiss me where your eye won't meet me_  
_Meet me where your mind won't kiss me_  
_Flick your eyes and mine and then hit me_  
_Hit me with your eyes so sweetly_  
_Oh, you know you know you know that yes I love_  
_I mean I'd love to get to know you_

**[Mike and Artie]**

_Do you never wonder?_

**[All]**

_No. No, no!  
You girls never know  
Oh no, you girls'll never know  
No you girls never know  
How you make a boy feel  
You girls never know  
Oh no, you girls'll never know  
No you girls never know  
How you make a boy feel_

**[Mike]_  
_**_How you make a boy..._

Mercedes came to her feet to see Tina charging towards her dragging Kurt by his wristcuff.

"Mercedes! Stay!" Tina then turned to the ruffled Kurt who was smoothing out his jacket and kilt, "Kurt, stay!" Tina stood in the middle, dressed as in black as if she was going to Lady Gaga's funeral.

"Now, listen," Tina crossed her arms, "Things cannot go on like this! I can't enjoy my prom with knowing my two BFF's aren't talking to each other." Mercedes looked at Kurt finally and Kurt had his nose in the air, before lowering it and softening his look towards Mercedes. "I don't know what you two are fighting about but it's ending right now!" Tina impatiently tapped her foot waiting for them to be grown-ups and speak but neither was willing to meet half-way. So, once again, she did it for them.

"Kurt!" Tina ordered him to say something. Kurt's eyes scanned Mercedes' outfit, being slightly jealous. They both agreed he was supposed to make her prom dress for her but even he couldn't recreate the masterful work she was wearing.

"That color looks amazing on you." Kurt said, monotone. "It offsets your skin, beautifully."

"Thank you."

"Now, Mercedes?" Tina gradually brought the two in closer, hoping there'd be a magnet attraction.

"I really do like your kilt, Kurt." Mercedes said sincerely.

"Thanks."

The two friends looked at eachother emotionally before embracing in a bear hug and swaying.

"I missed you so much!" Kurt said into her ear. He let go to stare her in the eyes, letting her know that he meant what he was saying. "I am so, so sorry, Mercedes! I shouldn't have judged you that way! I had no right and that's not what friends do-"

"No, Kurt, I'm sorry! You had your right to your opinion! How could I have been mad at that?"

"Oh, let's never fight again, okay?" Kurt pleaded.

"Okay!" Mercedes quickly pulled Kurt into another hug and Tina interrupted.

"Now, can we please go dance and watch our boyfriends?"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Kurt and Mercedes praised in unison.

The trio rushed the front, pushing and shoving their way through. Mike's eyes glinted when he saw Tina and decided to dedicate the rest of his performance to his one and only. The friends danced together, feeling like the night was going how it was supposed to.

**[Artie]**

_Sometimes I say stupid things_

**[Mike]**

_That I think_  
_Well, I mean I_  
_Sometimes I think the stupidest things_  
_Because I never wonder_  
_Oh how the girl feels_  
_Oh how the girl feels_

**[All]**  
_No you boys never care_  
_Oh no you boys'll never care_  
_No you boys never care_  
_How the girl feels_  
_No you boys never care_  
_You dirty boys'll never care_  
_ No you boys never care_  
_How the girl feels_

_Oh how the girl feels_  
_Oh how the girl feels..._

* * *

_"_Puck, I-I don't know about this." Mercedes said, while Artie was getting prepped up for their perfomance.

"Oh, come on, Puddin'. You and Artie practiced all week." Puck reassured with his arms on her shoulders. "Listen. You're better than everyone. Better than Santana. Better than Rachel. Everyone." Mercedes' sad face began to pull a grin. Puck put her chin in his fingers to give her a sweet, confidence kiss.

"Now, go!" He released her with a little pat to her bottom. Mercedes made one final look at her boyfriend and he was giving a thumbs up with a wacky face. She joined Artie, shaking in her stiletto's. The boy adjusted his head mic before turning to Mercedes and asking, "You ready, Mama?" She nodded and made a worried smile, so Artie grabbed her hand squeezed. That was the signal that no matter what, he had her back up there. He rolled her chair back and started the music.

**[Artie]**

_Hot in... So hot in herre... So hot in..._

_Ah! Oh!_  
_I was like, good gracious ass bodacious_

_Flirtatcious, tryin to show faces_

_Lookin for the right time to shoot my steam you know Lookin for the right time to flash them keys_

_Then um I'm leavin, please believin Me and the rest of my heathens_

_Check it, got it locked at the top of the four seasons Penthouse, roof top, birds I feedin_

_No deceivin, nothin up my sleeve, no teasin_

_I need you to get up up on the dance floor Give that man what he askin for_

_Cuz I feel like bustin loose and I feel like touchin you_

_And cant nobody stop the juice so baby tell me whats the use_

_I said!_  
_Its gettin hot in here!_  
_So take off all your clothes_!

**[Mercedes]**

_I am gettin' so hot I wanna take my clothes off_

**[Artie]**

_(Unh, unh, unh, unh, oh!)_

_It's gettin hot in here!_

_So take off all your clothes!_

**[Mercedes]**

_I am gettin' so hot I wanna take my clothes off_

**[Artie]**

_(Let it hang all out!)_

As soon as she saw receptive the crowd was, Mercedes just let go and the results were worth it. The dancefloor was burning up. So much, that try as she might, Mrs. P.S. could stop herself from moving. The heat was getting to be too much for Quinn. After a lot of silly dancing with Sam, she retired to the refreshments for some water. Sam seemed to forget about his troubles for the bulk of the night, until he saw Mercedes on stage. She was radiant. Just as he thought she'd be.

Then, as if on cue, "Sammy Evans." Devil in a red dress, Santana sauntered up to the unprotected fellow and gestured him to follow her out on the floor. The angel on Sam's shoulder made him shake his head. Then, she turned around and undid her hair, to let the dark waves fall down her bare back. She looked over her shoulder to make a 'come and get me' look. Sam sighed and thought, _Well, technically, Quinn isn't my real date. She's my friend...and what's one dance? _

When Santana felt Sam behind her, her red lips curled into a devilish grin. When she looked at him he asked, "Where's Kurofsky?"

"Who cares?" Santana only agreed to come to prom with him because he was nominated to be the prom King to her Queen. After Prom pictures, she ditched him. "C'mon Sam. Back that ass up."

Santana got low on him, making figure eights on his lap. Sam tried very hard to keep this clean but Santana always fought dirty. She circled around him, dancing back to back, bumping her behind against him then turning around to whisper in his ear, "So, I forgive you."

"What?"

"I forgive you for ignoring my texts and blowing me off, not in the good way."

Sam smirked as Santana worked her way back to grinding on him. She snaked her arm around his neck, forcing him to listen to her words and see the bangin' body concealed in red silk.

"So, rumor has it that we're both shoo-in's for King and Queen." Santana said.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. So, it got a girl thinkin'. We're both single. You're hot and I'm _muy caliente_. Together we could make a volcanic explosion of sexy all over this school."

"I thought you didn't date?" Sam pondered. Santana liked to be independent and in charge. Either you stand behind her or even on the side if you were one of her closest friends but never in front. Having a boyfriend would compromise that because relationships were solely about compromise. That's not something a girl who got her way 100% of the time would want.

"The fact that I don't have man candy is making people question me. I'd get a girl to be my lesser half but that might be too extreme." Santana's sexuality was as moldable as Play-Doh. If you were hot, she'd like you. "Besides, boys are easier to control." Sam scoffed at that statement. He lifted Santana's hands and spun her around. She roped her arms around his neck, getting so close it was hard to tell when she ended and Sam begun.

"Listen, next year is our senior year. Our last year." Santana said, seriously. "And I'd like to be on top," Santana groped Sam's ample butt and growled in his ear, "_In all aspects_. Rule with me."

Sam's eyes traveled towards Mercedes again and said, "I have to think about it."

Santana stood back and scoffed, but then shrugged, "Alright. Whatever. But this offer won't be on the table for long, so get it while it's _hot_ and bothered."

When Kurofsky came back into view, she strutted over to him. Sam put a hand through his hair, trying to process what just happened.

"Okay, so what I miss?" Quinn said, refreshed. He raised his eyebrows at her and she did it back.

**[Mercedes and Artie]**  
_Give a little bit of ah, ah_  
_With a little bit of ah, ah_  
_Let it hang all out_  
_With a little bit of ah, ah_  
_And a sprinkle of that ah, ah_  
_Let it just fall out_  
_I like it when ya ah, ah_

**[Artie]**  
_Girl, baby make it ah, ah... ohhh!_

* * *

Quinn and Sam sat at a table, all danced out. Puck and Mercedes' table was not too far away from theirs. Puck was onstage with Blaine, getting set up. Quinn would soon be joining them. She checked her compact one more time, when she closed it, she saw Sam eying the lonely Mercedes once more. Mercedes felt Sam staring at her and did all but met his eyes. Tonight was not the night for this.

Before getting up to leave the table, Quinn leaned into Sam, saying "Remember, Sam. You only live once." She promised not to say, 'YOLO' anymore so she didn't. Quinn left to join the stage with Puck holding an acoustic guitar and Blaine at the piano. Once they made sure that everyone was ready, the music started.

**[Quinn]**

_I never thought that you would be the one to hold my heart_

_ But you came around and you knocked me off the ground from the start_

Before Sam knew what he was doing, he was on his feet and walking to the table Mercedes was sitting. Mercedes was feeling excitement and fear at the same time. When he got to the table, he forgot what he was doing there exactly. Sam had options. He could walk away. He could tell her that she looked pretty. He could take a seat and explain his plan for their future: marriage, a ton of babies and yard for them to play in.

There were so many things he could say, so many things he _wanted_ to say. But, he just chose, "Hi."

"Hi." Mercedes said back, dumbfounded. Sam looked to the stage at Quinn and she winked.

"Would-Would you like to dance?" Sam held his hand to Mercedes. Against her better judgement, she put her small hand in his. He led her to the floor of slow-moving couples. Brittany sat on Artie's lap in his wheelchair and he spun around idly. Mrs. P.S. moved like a pinball, detaching those who were too close for comfort with a ruler. Sam put his hands on her hips, Mercedes put her arms around his neck and fireworks went off sparkling in each other's minds. The touch was magic and enamoring, they missed it so. Mercedes compared it to the way Puck would handle her and it wasn't worse, just different. It took all that Sam had not to pull her in closer, but Mrs. P.S. was embarking quickly. She stuck the ruler inbetween the two to check their measurements, then made her way to the next couple.

Sam stood a foot away as requested but that was okay, as long as he just got to look at her. Some of her features were farther than he knew them to be and liked that. He liked knowing that no matter how far she may seem, Mercedes was always within his reach.

**[Quinn]**

_I hope that you see right through my walls_  
_I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling_  
_I'll never let a love get so close_  
_You put your arms around me and I'm home_

Mercedes felt uneasy underneath Sam's gaze. She just wished he would say something. It wasn't fair to her, to just be silent and never let her know what he was thinking then be upset went she wasn't able to guess. However, Sam eyes didn't leave anything to the imagination.

Finally, Sam said, "You look so beautiful, Mercedes."

"Thank you." She said, not looking at him. Mercedes swallowed her bottom lip, trying not to let out her emotions but-"You know you hurt me." Sam snapped out of his staring and his eyes became more vulnerable.

"Ignoring me like that. I thought we were friends."

"We are...we were." Sam said honestly. After realizing his feelings, he didn't know if they could just go back to being friends.

"Then, why'd you do that? Sam, you should've just talked to me. Instead of making me feel like a leper."

"I know, I'm sorry Mercedes. I really am. It's just everything in these past few weeks has just been crazy. It's like, I haven't able to get my head on straight for anything." Mercedes looked confused, but Sam wasn't finished. "I've just been able to realize how nothing has made sense to me until now. Right now. With you. You're the only thing that makes sense to me, Mercedes. The only thing I'm able to wrap head around." A dirty joke was there but Sam didn't want to cheapen the moment. Mercedes didn't know what to say but then a loud noise was heard and some girls screamed.

* * *

Kurt was at the punch bowl, filling a glass of unspiked lemonade. So far, Junior prom was a success. He danced with his boyfriend and made up with his best friend. Most of all, surprisingly, no one had harassed them. They got cursory glares from some people but it was okay because like Blaine said, no one else existed. He stood next to the refreshment table and enjoyed Quinn's performance, finding it a pleasant ending to the night. Soon, however, his bully-free night was to be tarnished. Kurt was excusing himself to the bathroom, when Dave Kurofsky got in his way. The giant reeked of Rum and Vodka.

"So, what do you think you're doing?" Kurofsky slurred.

"I'm going to the bathroom." Kurt said the smart remark effortlessly. Although, when he saw that Kurofsky was looking for a fight, he tried to take the statement back and make nice. "Look, I'm just trying to enjoy prom, just like you." Kurt sighed.

"So am I! But, you think you can just show up here with Blaine and...you think you're good eno-you think you're good enough to come here and fag up my Prom!" Kurofsky's voiced raised, garnering attention from the people surrounding them.

"Listen, Kurofsky-" Kurt tried to put a gentle hand on the drunk boy's shoulder but it was shoved off with a force.

"Don't fucking touch me, fag!" He shoved Kurt into the table, knocking over the punch bowl and some of the food in the process. Kurt got back on his feet in a near flash.

"I don't want to fight you, Kurofsky!" Kurt begged. Needless to say, the music stopped at this point. Kurofsky answered his calls for peace with a blow to the eye, making Kurt fall to the floor. Kurofsky was going to continue attacking before Puck got in his way. Puck shoved him back as hard as he could. Blaine, Mercedes and Tina attended to the wounded Kurt, taking him into the hallway for some air.

"What are you a homo too, Puck?" Kurofsky yelled.

"Listen, everyone knows that I worship the vagina!" Puck said just as loudly, so everyone heard and no rumors would be spread. "But what you're doing isn't right and it isn't cool, bro! You need to grow up!" Kurofsky took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves.

"Alright, I can take on another fag." Puck was getting himself ready in a stance, before Artie rolled up in front of him.

"Your going to have to go through me too." Artie said.

"And me." Mike said.

Sam stood before them all with his arms crossed. "You too, Evans?" Kurofsky asked his hockey mate.

"Just walk away, Kurofsky."

Knowing that he was outmatched, Kurofsky backed away and reached for his date's hand. Santana eagerly snatched it away with a "Uh-uh! Hold up!" She switched sides quickly and stood inbetween Puck and Sam, leaving Kurofsky on the outside.

Santana continued, "Now, I may be a bitch. I'll even call myself a bully but the one thing I'm not, is some bigoted, homophobic, close-minded ding-dong. I don't discriminate: I pick on everyone because they all suck not because their sexual orientation or where they came from or whatever. So, you can gets the steppin' with ya Mister Potatohead lookin' self because I'm not going anywhere with you. Ever." Santana waved to Kurofsky sweetly before flipping him off.

Completely alone, Kurofsky scoffed, "Whatever," and walked out of the gym. Quinn went to the group and told them that everyone was in the hallway.

They found Kurt being cradled against Blaine who was nursing his swelling bruise. Mercedes and Tina were crouched around them.

"God, I'm so sorry Kurt." Blaine said, near tears. "You were right; it was too soon. We shouldn't have done this."

"What? Are you telling me the new accessory that Kurofsky gave me_ isn't_ sexy?" Kurt smiled softly up at him. Blaine sniffled a light laugh and buried face into his boyfriend's neck, to cover what tears may come out. Kurt kissed his cheek.

"Is everything okay over here?" Sam said, leading the rest of the group. Tina and Mercedes stood.

"Yeah. It's a huge shiner but he'll be okay." Mercedes answered.

Blaine looked up at everyone, specifically his bandmates. Bringing a guy as a date and never mentioning that he was gay before, he figured he had some explaining to do. He carefully rose from the floor and brought Kurt up with him. When he was sure Kurt could stand on his own, he turned to the guys.

"Look, I know I never told you guys-" Blaine covered his mouth and started over, "I'm sorry that I wasn't really honest with you guys about-"

"Dude," Sam cut him off, waving him off. "You don't owe us any explanation."

"Did you think we would have come to your defense if we had a problem with it?" Mike asked Blaine's shocked face. "Blaine, you underestimate us."

"Yeah, man. You're our family, which means Kurt is too. We'll always have your back." Artie said. The boys nodded in agreement and Blaine was visibly touched.

"Thank you, that means so much."

"Yeah, I mean who cares that you like it in the ass? Prison dudes do it and their beasts. Get yours, I'm down with rainbow." Blaine closed his eyes and snorted, while Mercedes covered her smile and hit Puck's arm. Hard.

"Thanks, Puck."

After a long silence, Artie asked, "So...does anyone want to go back to Prom?" The group exchanged looks with eachother before mumbling affirmative 'No's.'

"What about Prom Queen?" Sam asked his date, Quinn.

She shrugged, "Who cares? It's just a crown made of plastic."

"Who wants to go down to the beach and get wasted? Courtesy of Kurofsky." Santana appeared from virtually nowhere holding two jugs of alcohol. She was thankful she swiped them from the limo. Kurofsky left her, so she wouldn't have gotten the chance to later.

"What? You didn't think I'd still leave with Cuntofsky did you? After giving him that fabulous fuck-off?" Santana said.

"Santana, where did you hide those?" Quinn asked.

"Some mysteries are better left unsolved, Nancy Drew."

* * *

The gang made their way to the beach, following eachother in their cars. Quinn called Eddie the driver and told him that he could take off the rest of the night. Quinn and Sam hitched a ride with Brittany and Artie in their van, along with Santana who couldn't ride with Puck and Mercedes because there was no more room. She refused to ride with anyone else.

On the way, they picked up red plastic cups and marshmellows from the all-night 99-cent store. Soon, they got to the Pier. Brittany led the way down, carrying Artie in her arms. They relished as they sand tickled their toes and the wind kissed their faces. The guys found some driftwood ebb'd up on the surface. Now, all they had to do was start a fire. Puck's lighter went out and the occasional smoker Quinn had matches but they weren't sparking. Finally, Santana found two lumpy rocks and went primitive. When some people raised their eyebrows, she defended, "I WAS A FUCKING GIRL SCOUT, OKAY?"

About five minutes later, a spark was conceived then a flame was born. The gang cheered and the boys' hailed Santana the "Firestarter!". Somehow, Santana knew that title would made her happier than Prom Queen. Everyone sat in a circle around the light, sharing drinks and laughs. Puck brought two acoustic guitars he had on hand, just in case something went wrong with the amp at prom and they'd have to give an unplugged show. He gave one to Sam and they started to play some sing-along tunes.

First, they sung 'Brown Eyed-Girl', with Sam and Puck exaggerating the sha-la-la's trying to outdo the other. Next, they did a cover of Nelly's 'Ride Wit Me', then they did Grouplove's 'Tongue-Tied'. Ironically, the drunker they got the better they sounded.

"Alright! Alrightalrightalright, everyone listen!" Santana waved her hand to get everyone's attention. "Hey...HEY! SHUT UP!" That got the animated group quiet.

Except Kurt got the last word, "Fluffaybunnay" out of his mouth, eating the melted marshmellow from his fingers. His boyfriend kinkily sucked the rest of the white residue off his hand.

After rolling her eyes, Santana started her speech. "Okay, so, because I probably won't remember this...even if I did, I wouldn't speak to anyone except Puck, Sam, Quinn and Mercedes by association on Monday and for the rest of the year, I just wanted to tell all the-the girls that you all look so hot tonight." The boys hooted and catcalled for their ladies.

"I mean, Mercedes, you and your boobs look amazeballs. Asian girl I don't know...White girl I don't know, ya bangin'. And Quinn? You look so fucking hot right now. Like, I'd fuck you then marry the shit out of you." Santana wrapped an arm around her blonde friend's neck and sloppily kissed her forehead, leaving the imprint of her lips.

"But, seriously guys..." In a second flat, Santana went from horny to sad, "I'm gonna miss you guys. Aside from Porcelain's face getting cracked, this was a good night."

"This was a pretty fun night." Tina agreed, nodding. Mike kissed her cheek, than put an arm on her shoulder, "Can you guys believe we'll be seniors next year?"

"God, no." Blaine said, passing the jug of Vodka.

"We'll all have to start over. Making new friends, new names for ourselves." Quinn said. "It'll be like this didn't happen at all."

"No it won't because we're going to remember this forever." Sam said.

The tone turned somber, thinking about how more than half of the group were going to be stolen away by the real world very soon.

Suddenly, Artie shouted, "You cocksuckers are boring me!" His head laying in the tulle of Brittany's party dress. "Sing another song!" Everyone else readily agreed with cheers, toasting their cups to the sky and the guitar-players, Sam and Puck grabbed their instruments from behind their backs.

"Alright Puck, I got the next song." Even with everyone's buzzed state of mind, Sam was still sober to the point of his mission: Getting to Mercedes.

"Puck, I'll lead you in okay?"

"Yep."

Sam strummed a few chords, in hoping his feelings would shine through the music.

**[Sam]**

_Whoa_

**[Sam & Puck]**

_Whoa_

**[Sam]**

_A little early in spring, a bonfire ring_  
_She's shivering alone_  
_I bumped into you somehow_  
_But you can wear my duct-taped vest_  
_It's a party best it's really all I own_  
_Everything's changing now_  
_And I am high like a star that's flying Cassiopeia_  
_Everything's changing now_  
_She said it's alright_  
_She said no don't die alone_  
_There's no goodbyes_

**[Sam & Puck]**

_Lightning comes and lightning goes_  
_And it's all the same to me_  
_Let it in_  
_Cuz I want you so I can hardly breathe or release_  
_Into one thousand pieces_  
_I have broke into over you_  
_The chain will soon be gone,_  
_I keep burning on and on and on_

The friends swayed slowly to the song that sounded soothing but caused Mercedes alarm. She knew this song. She loved this song. Sam would play it all the time in his car on the way to his place or to Artie's. And now, he was staring at her. He wasn't playing fair. This all wasn't fair.

**[Sam]**

_Some girls will break you down_  
_Just to see you come undone_  
_Everything's changing now_  
_Maybe you and I are cursed_  
_Maybe you and I are one_  
_And that's the universe_  
_Around, around she drags you_

Sam's eyes seared into Mercedes as she drank the last drop from her cup. Some of the kids were able to catch onto the song, drunkenly singing along.

**[Sam & Puck]**

_Lightning comes and lightning goes_  
_It's all the same to me_  
_Let it in_  
_Cause I want you so_  
_I can hardly breathe or release_  
_Into one thousand pieces_  
_I have broke into over you_  
_We'll stop the flames at dawn,_  
_I keep burning on and on and on_

**[All except Sam, clearly drunk of their asses]**

_Whoa!_

**[Sam]**

_Did you get what you wanted?_

**[All]**

_Whoa!_

**[Sam]**

_Did you get what you wanted?_

The question sounded like it was just a part of the song and it was, but Mercedes took it for much more. Technically, she did get what she wanted: a nice boyfriend and popularity. Yet, there was still something missing. That thing in a relationship that holds you in and keeps you so long and so tight that you feel like you can't breathe but still, you want more of it. Puck was sweet, caring and protective of her. Never once did he pressure her to do anything more than kiss him and they've touched but that's it. Somehow, it felt, once again, not bad but different. There was a certain spark that Sam gave her whenever they were together, with Puck it just felt fizzy. Like how the bubbly foam of soda spritzes up when you first pour it into a cup and it tickles you, then it slowly dissolves. Now and then you may feel the sensation again but it's never the same as the first time.

Mercedes felt a pooling in her stomach and became dizzy. She didn't know if she should blame it her mixed drinks or her mixed feelings. Either way, by the end of the song, she shakily stood up and stumbled off to the beach. Everyone looked up to see her staggering away, Puck quickly went after her, calling "Puddin'? Puddin', what's wrong?" Sam stood too but didn't go after her. It wasn't his place.

"What's going on?" Quinn asked. Right after, Mercedes hurled up right into the water.

"I think the pudding spoiled." Brittany said.

* * *

The cry of the birds woke Sam up the next morning. It was the break of day. Softly, he turned one way and saw Kurt laying on top of Blaine's chest. He turned another way and saw Artie in fiedle position against Brittany's side. Sam felt the soft breathing of a belly underneath him and saw that he was using Tina's torso as a pillow. Sitting up, he found out that everyone was intertwined in limbs, using each other as beds of support and comfort. Sam carefully placed Quinn's head on the sand, not wanting to wake her nor Santana who's face was in her chest.

He looked to the horizon and saw a figure walking along the sun. It was Mercedes, holding her shoes and jumping to miss the waves. Puck was nowhere in sight. Maybe this was cheating a little because he was about to take advantage of a major hangover he knew she was having. However, it thought it was better to hedge his bets rather than just take his losses and go home. He ran on his barefeet to catch up with the girl.

"Hey." Sam said breathless. A) Mercedes was a lot farther away then her thought. B) In her dress, she looked even more mesmerizing in the sunlight.

"Hi." Mercedes looked away from him.

"So, are you okay? I mean, how's your head?" Sam reached to palm her forehead but she backed away from his touch.

"I'm fine." She said firmly. Sam's hands swung around, doing all but reaching for Mercedes again, fearing she just might swim away from him next time.

"Look, Mercedes, about last night-"

"What do you think your doing?" She snapped. "I mean, singing songs to me and telling me that 'things don't make sense without me'? What's that about?"

Sam licked his lips, "I was trying to tell you how I feel about you." Sam had Mercedes' hands in his for her to just snatch them away.

"Now? You want to do this now? When I'm with your best friend? I can't believe you, Sam. Y'know I think this is about you just wanting someone you can't have-"

"That's not what this is, Mercedes!"

"Then why couldn't you have said something before?"

"I-I-I don't know." Sam looked down. "Mercedes, I know my timing is shit and I have no right to do this but I feel something here! Something I've never felt with any other girl and I can't just ignore it anymore!" He raised his hands in a dramatic shrug and looked towards the sun for help. His pushed his hair from his face, "Look, I know all of this is crazy and I didn't know this was going to happen. But all I know Mercedes, is that-I want you. Just you, okay?"

After a long period of silence, Mercedes said, "Sam, you're my friend. Can we please, _please_ just keep that way for now?"

Sam felt enraged. The one time he opened up and put his heart in his hands before a girl, he was shut down. He felt cheated. Cheated into believing this love thing was worth anything. He swallowed his pain and stepped towards Mercedes.

"You don't want to be just friends, Mercedes. I know you don't. You're protecting Puck-"

"Something you should be doing, considering he's your best friend!"

"But I'm standing right here with you, Mercedes aren't I?" He answered. "I'm right here with you." He inched closer, showing no sign of backing down. Mercedes didn't move away this time. In the next five seconds, Sam was going to kiss Mercedes if she just stood still, but then-

"Hey!" Puck yelled from the top of the beach. He and Mercedes spent the night in his truck. He felt that sleeping outside wouldn't be good for the queasy girl. They both looked to the person they both loved a great deal but in entirely different ways. Puck walked down to meet Mercedes and Sam.

"Hey, guys we should go to breakfast! The Pier is having all-you-can-eat pancake week!" Puck shouted happily.

"Ugh, shut the fuck up, Puck!" Santana yelled.

"You shut the fuck up, Satan!" Normally, Puck wouldn't talk that way to a girl but Santana wasn't a girl; as he said, she was Satan.

"Ya'll both need to shut the fuck up." Artie said, laying on his elbows. Now everyone was fully awake, wiping the sun and sand from their eyes. Puck found Mercedes hand and asked her if she was feeling better. She nodded and feigned a smile, as if Sam was completely invisible. The boy felt his world go sideways.

"C'mon, bro." Puck said to Sam. "Let's get some hangover munchies." Puck and Mercedes walked hand in hand to his truck as everyone else looked for their shoes. Sam stood at the start of the ocean, feeling like a complete loser. Quinn saw the last part of the exchange and decided to go comfort her buddy. She came over to him, looking perfectly disheveled and put a sympathetic arm on his shoulder.

"Okay," Quinn said, leaving the beach with Sam, "Come on. Admit that you had a good time last night."

Sam's expression-less face turned a little brighter, showing mere signs of a broken smile at the ends of his mouth. He sighed and put an arm around Quinn as well.

"Yeah, I had a good time."

"There you go."

* * *

**A/N: One more chapter and we're out. Thanks for reading and reviews are lovely. Thank you so much guys.**


	11. Summer Kickoff

**A/N: I suggest you cue these songs to enhance your reading experience, played in this order:**

**"Houdini (acoustic)" by Foster the People [**It's on youtube, if no where else**]**

**"The Drumming Song" by Florence + The Machine**

* * *

"I'm so glad we decided to come to this!" Kurt said, excited around the atmosphere of the decorated gym. "I couldn't let you miss your first Summer Kickoff!"

The boy had locked arms with Mercedes, escorting her into the beach paradise. The social committee captured the best parts of the beach and strategically placed them just right, so the students wouldn't be able to tell real from fake. Tiki lanterns lined the opposite sides of the space, with tall palm trees galore. Mercedes' eyes were still taking it in and wiggling her feet in the white mock sand. The fact that both of them were thinking about skipping the event - Kurt for bullies, Mercedes for Sam - seemed nuts now.

"I know, I'm really happy we came." Mercedes turned to Kurt, "I was worried you wouldn't want to after what happened at Prom." Kurt's smile turned down and he picked at the straws in his fedora.

"How are you doing?" Mercedes added.

Kurt sighed, "I'm all right but Blaine's still having a bit of hard time." Mercedes gave him a concerned look, making him explain more, "After the Prom debacle, we had a little tete-a-tete with Mrs. P.S. …"

* * *

_Kurt and Blaine sat side by side across from the formal Mrs. Pillsbury-Schuester. She fixed the 4x6 marriage portrait at the end of her irritatingly organized desk and then folded her hands._

_"So," She started with searching eyes, her tone sensitive "I called you two in to figure out your thoughts about Prom. How are you two feeling after what happened?"_

_A few moments passed before Kurt carefully answered her, "I'm okay. I mean, I always knew that there would be people who wouldn't accept or understand that this is who I am but it took a long time for me to realize that, the only people that matter are the ones that do." Mrs. P.S. nodded and Kurt took Blaine's hand. "I am loved and deserved to be loved. One punch to the eye isn't going to change my mind about that." _

_The guidance counselor tenderly smiled and looked to the quiet Blaine, who hide been hiding his eyes ever since he sat down. "Blaine?" She implored him to voice his thoughts because it looked like he had many._

_Blaine licked his lips and talked to the floor still, "I .. I feel vengeful against Kurofsky for punching Kurt. I feel," he gulped, "hurt that anyone would feel it is okay to do that to someone for no good reason and .. I'm scared that it's going to happen again." He looked to Kurt, going over the healing bruise on his face. Mrs. P.S. instantly frowned at Blaine's worries._

_"Well, Blaine, Kurofsky has been suspended for the remainder of the year-"_

_"What does that do but give him a longer summer?!" Blaine forgot himself, shouting at the woman. Unfortunately, Mrs. P.S. didn't quite have an answer for that. "He'll still be back next year. I won't feel better about this until he's expelled."_

_"Well, Blaine, you know that more violence and confronting him will not solve anything." Mrs P.S. said, ignoring his request for expulsion. She already tried to get him out of Quetin on the grounds of fighting, bullying and being intoxicated on school grounds. Principal Figgins denied her request. "If you do that you are no better than him."_

_"So, what, I'm just supposed to let Kurt and I just get pushed around?"_

_"No, you come to me or Principal Figgins or another teacher."_

_"So, he'll be suspended again and maybe it'll stop for a week. Then he'll come back and it's going to happen all over again." She knew there was probably some truth to what he was saying. Mrs. P.S. had never really talked to David Kurofsky herself because his father would always come in as a representation but he always seemed like a bit of a loose cannon. For this matter, Mister Kurofsky was genuinely apologetic for Kurt and Blaine but there was no telling what David was thinking. _

_"There will be more Kurofsky's, Blaine." Mrs P.S. said after a long silence. "Until our society, our world, can wholly embrace the meaning of love and that it is for everyone, you will have at least one Kurofsky anywhere you go. There are probably more Kurofsky's in this school. Next year, you'll be a senior and Kurt a junior. That's one whole year that you two won't have each other. If someone decides to hurt him, what will you do then? Come back here? Push some high school bully around and look even worse then the student in question? What I'm asking you to do, Blaine is have faith in us. There are people that care about you and Kurt. People that are willing to protect you and fight for you, if you let them. I know it's hard but the only way we can help you right now is by your cooperation."_

_Blaine heard Mrs. P.S. remind him that this wouldn't be the last hardship he and Kurt would have and that they would be separated within a year. This made tears sting at the boy's eyes. The guidance counselor saw this and handed him a tissue that he gladly took._

_"You aren't alone in these halls, Blaine." She said, softly. "Not if you don't want to be."_

* * *

"Wow." Mercedes said, helping herself to lemonade punch out of a Hawaiian bowl. Kurt nodded, feeling emotionally exhausted by just talking about it.

"It was almost like pulling teeth getting him to show up here, but I knew he wouldn't leave the Boys' Choir hanging like that. Speaking of the Boys' Choir, have you spoken to Sam, yet?"

Of course, Kurt now knew of the love triangle. She would have told him sooner if he wasn't so quick to bash her for previous actions. "No." She said hastily, before watching some of the other students pose for pictures near the simulated ocean waves. Kurt followed her quickly, being as hot on her heels as the problems she avoided.

"Mercedes, you know that you can't just ignore this forever."

"Yes. Yes, I can." She said, calm.

"Hello, everyone!" Jacob Ben Israel's voice interrupted whatever Kurt was going to say. Mercedes didn't mind it because it was going to be the same thing she already told herself: _"You have to make a choice."_

_"_Welcome to Summer Kickoff 2012. My name is Jacob Ben Israel and I will be your emcee today. To commence our annual festivities, we will have the Boys' Choir get this party started." A teacher wearing a coconut bikini top ran on stage to give Jacob a note card, "Oh, and to the person who was last in the men's bathroom, you used the last of the toilet paper. Please replace it."

The Boys' Choir was not introduced until Principal Figgins concluded his pardons, away to the men's bathroom. The boys came to the stage in their silly Hawaiian shirts, well, except Puck. Puck didn't care to wear a shirt at all. They all sat on stools and the guitarists tuned themselves into the right key. Artie made a countdown and Mike stomped his foot, bootlegging a back-beat. Guitarists, Sam and Puck started a mellow melody that moved like a crackling fire. The mood became very chill as the sounds soared in the gym. Kurt and Mercedes made their way up to the front to watch their boyfriends.. or friends.. or something perform. Sam threw a smile at Puck, because the song they spent weeks practicing was going swimmingly. Suddenly, upon looking at Mercedes, his mouth went into a straight line.

Kurt saw this and leaned into Mercedes, "Heads up. I think 'forever' is about to end."

**[Sam]**

_Rise above gonna start the war_  
_What you want what you need what'd you come here for_  
_Well an eye for an eye and an "F" for fight_  
_They're takin me down as the prisoners riot_

**[All]**  
_Ooh_

**[Sam]**

_Got shackles on, my words are tied_

**[All]**

_Ooh_

**[Sam]**

_Fear can make you compromise_

**[All]**

_Ooh_

**[Sam]**

_Fasten up, it's time to hide_

**[All]**

_Ooh_

**[Sam]**

_Sometimes I wanna disappear_

Convincing Mercedes that it was safe for him to go places unattended, Kurt went to the bathroom. Mercedes was alone, swaying to the music. Until, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Quinn giving her a shy smile.

"Hey." She stepped aside Mercedes and joined her in the swaying with her arms folded.

"Hi, Quinn."

**[Puck]**

_When I feel kinda bad and don't want to stress_  
_ Pass it off on ability_  
_ Well you got what you want, and what you never knew_  
_ Perfect gift from me to you_  
_ Yeah yeah yeah_

"So, how are you feeling?" Quinn asked.

"I'm fine. What about you?"

"Me too." Quinn paused, looking the girl up and down, seeing that there was something else on her mind.

"So, you and Puck?" Mercedes nearly snapped her neck to look at her. "You guys' good?"

"Oh yeah," She answered, her voice unnaturally high. "Yeah, we're good. Y'know .. We're good." Quinn raised her eyebrows with amusement, at the horrible front the girl was trying to put on, though she knew it was better that she didn't get involved.

Quinn leaned in to whisper, "Sam told me how he feels about you." Yes, Quinn knew it was better for her not to get involved but did anyway. "I don't know if he told you, but we only went to the Prom as friends. Nothing's going on between us - anymore, I swear it."

Mercedes was frozen next to Quinn. Any of her next sudden movements could reveal a great deal more than she was willing to show. Her eyes went to Quinn's composed face and said, "I know."

"Oh." Quinn sucked the air through her teeth, in anticipation of what else to say. She couldn't tell if she made the situation better or worse.

The awkward filled the space between and Mercedes couldn't figure out what to say to her next. She considered that possibly there were other motives for Quinn coming up to her and saying that. Maybe she was trying to trick her, play a mind game when she had plans for Sam herself. Her stomach started to hurt thinking of Quinn and Sam being together. No doubt, they'd be perfect. Ken and Barbie. Then, Mercedes thought about how she was nothing but nice to her from the moment they met. Just because she was friends with Santana and some other jerks, didn't mean she was like them and she has proven that. The exception to the age-old rule, Quinn was popular and still kind to everyone; no scheming or agendas, just plain sweetness.

"But thanks," Mercedes added quickly before the window shut, "Thanks for telling me that." The girls nodded at each other before watching the stage again.

**[All]**

_(t's up to your ability_

**[Blaine]**  
_You never knew what I could find_  
_What would come when we realize_  
_I don't want to compromise_

**[All]**  
_It's up to your ability_

**[Blaine]**  
_Can't stand when I disappear_  
_Runnin around 'cus I'm filled with fear_  
_But I can't go 'cus my life's a wreck_

Kurt was making his way back to Mercedes, when he saw Quinn leaving her with a grin and a hug.

"What happened there?" He asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Nothing."

"The last time you said that, you were letting Sam Evans flourish your garden. What's up, Mercedes?"

**[All]**

_It's up to your ability_

**[Artie]**  
_I know that you want me_

_don't mean to decieve, cause my ability_

**[All]**

_It's up to your ability_

**[Artie]**  
_Yeah you're undecided_  
_Yeah I don't wanna leave you_  
_Yeah I don't wanna runaway_

Mercedes thought about it, then made a grin, "She was just being a friend."

**[All]**

_You gotta focus on your ability_  
_Focus on your ability_  
_Now focus on your ability_  
_Focus on your ability_

_Gain again what they want to steal_  
_Gain again what they want to steal_  
_Then gain again what they want to steal_  
_Gain again what they want to steal .._

* * *

Their set was finished and Sam was near the food table, drowning in sample cheeses. Mercedes was around, he could feel her there. Things went for the inverse after Prom. Mercedes said they were just friends, yet she had no problem ignoring him and hiding behind Puck (sometimes literally at parties) avoiding Sam like he was the plague. Part of Sam knew that it served him right but that didn't make it hurt any less.

"Sammy Evans." Santana said his name in a sing-song voice, making his insides recoil. She sneaked around him, lightly saying "Tick, tock, tick, tock ...", her head cocked to the side with each click of her tongue. His eyes rolled inside his head out of distress. Santana Lopez had this knack for showing up in the moments where he most wanted to be alone.

"Time's up, little rabbit." She said in his ear. Santana stood back and leaned her elbows on the table, trying to work her figure in the white peasant dress she had to wear.

"So what's it gonna be? All this or nothing at all?"

Sam made a heavy breath before saying, "Sorry, Santana, I think I'm gonna have to pass." Her dark eyebrows knotted underneath the crown of wildflowers she sported.

"Really? Really?" Santana repeated in disbelief. "What, are you finally hooking up with Quinn?"

"No, Santana. She's my friend. I just - can't be with anyone right now."

"Oh." She had never been rejected before and wanted to be sure that Sam knew what he was giving up. Sam only stared at her underneath the tips of his moppy, blonde hair. The girl scoffed out of offense but shrugged her embarrassment off shortly.

"Whatever," she said, "Have fun jerking yourself off. A Queen can rule without a King. I'll just conquer the school on my own."

Already pissed off with his current life situation, Sam unknowingly decided to misdirect his anger and point out someone else's faults instead of going over his own again and again.

"Is that all you care about, Santana? Being popular?"

Santana raised her shoulders individually, weighing her priorities, "No. I care about my grades .. my friends - "

"What friends?" Sam said with such brute honesty that it struck a nerve in Santana. Then, she went into a laugh and playfully hit Sam's arm.

"Shut up, Sam! You're my friend!" She remarked, to see Sam's face remain earnest.

"No, I'm not." Santana swallowed down her giggles and they tasted bitter. Sam continued, "You only talk to me if you want something and if you're ever honest, its only as an opportunity to be mean. You have servants and allies, even allies can become enemies in a second. No friends."

Santana felt her blood run a little cold at that revelation. To her, the word 'friend' kind of had a loose meaning anyways, but still they were important. It meant someone could want to spend time with you, want to talk to you. Someone could like you. She never thought about being liked. It didn't matter as long as you were feared, envied and attractive but now, with Sam as proof, having someone who just likes you can be beneficial, or just nice. It would be nice to have someone on her side no matter what but that's not what she has. She has no one.

For the first time ever, Sam saw Santana look completely crestfallen. Now feeling cruel for candidly saying his version of the truth, he crept a little closer to Santana and took his voice to a low whisper.

"Santana," He said into her hair, "You think that everyone loves a bitch and from the bottom of my heart, I hope you realize that isn't true before it's too late." With that, Sam walked away.

When she shook off her sadness, Santana saw that it was time for her to be backstage with the rest of the Girls' Choir for roll call. Running backstage, she saw a clutter of girls in their bare feet, talking in many conversations. Schuester and Ryerson weren't paying much attention to the others as they were going through vocal runs with Rachel Berry. In the corner, she saw Quinn talking to a nameless. Santana went over to them and dragged Quinn away, not caring that she was helping her with the steps to the number they were to perform in five minutes.

When they were in the secluded corner of Santana's choice, Quinn wanted to scold her for being rude but saw the look on her face. "What's wrong?" She rubbed her shoulders, calming the spicy Latina down.

Santana shook her head, "I just - You're my friend, right? Like, you like me?"

Quinn looked even more concerned, "Yes. Of course. Why?"

"I just needed to hear you say it."

* * *

"Coming in fourth place at this year's National Show Choir competition, introducing the Quetin Girls' Choir!" JBI leapt off the stage, remembering Santana's death threat if he mentioned that, technically, they lost the NSC.

The girls stood with matching wildflower crowns and light, white gowns with no shoes on stage. The Quetin Drum Line supported them in their grass skirts. Suddenly, the crashing of drums was heard and the Girls' Choir broke out into contemporary dance mashed with some hip-hop on the side. The louder the percussion, the stronger their movements were. Mr. Schuester mouthed the beat counts, while Mr. Ryerson tried to restrain from dancing badly.

**[Quinn]**

_There's a drumming noise inside my head_  
_That starts when you're around_  
_I swear that you could hear it_  
_It makes such an all mighty sound_  
_There's a drumming noise inside my head_  
_That throws me to the ground_  
_I swear that you should hear it_  
_It makes such an all mighty sound_

**[All, Quinn lead]**

_Louder than sirens_  
_Louder than bells_  
_Sweeter than heaven_  
_And hotter than hell_

**[Santana]**

_I ran to a tower where the church bells chime_  
_I hoped that they would clear my mind_  
_They left a ringing in my ear_  
_But that drum's still beating loud and clear_

**[Quinn, Santana Echoes]**  
_Louder than sirens_  
_Louder than bells_  
_Sweeter than heaven_  
_And hotter than hell ..._

**[All]**

_Louder than sirens_  
_Louder than bells_  
_Sweeter than heaven_  
_And hotter than hell ..._

Kurt and Mercedes were hanging with the Boys' Choir for the moment. They were lingering near the Volleyball court, while Puck passed out flower necklaces as punishment for being shirtless and whatever else he did that week, beating the 'You got lei'd!' joke to death. Sam stayed at a distance, though, shamelessly gawking at Mercedes, loving all her outlines with his eyes. She faced Mike, discussing his future plans to go to Harvard to study Architecture and she could see him. Fingering the circled rim of his plastic cup, biting his lower lip, trying to look harmless. No. Nope. Mercedes was not entertaining this today. She saw no other option to the lethal staring match but to abort mission and run. Mercedes excused herself from Mike as Sam spilled his drink into a trash can and left in pursuit of the runaway.

**[All]**

_As I move my feet towards your body_  
_I can hear this beat it fills my head up_  
_And gets louder and louder_  
_It fills my head up and gets louder and louder_

Mercedes' sandled feet made quick tracks in the hallway. She turned and saw Sam treading behind her.

"I'm in shape, Mercedes. I can keep up with you." He called to her. Didn't she know it? There wasn't a day that she didn't miss caressing his abs and feeling them against her when they cuddled sometimes. She flew into the first side door she saw, not seeing clearly thinking it was the girls' bathroom but not quite. It was the all public, unisex, empty, cafeteria. Breathless, Mercedes pressed against a table, bracing herself for the gale wind that was coming her way. Soon enough, Sam came storming in.

"Friends don't avoid each other, 'Cedes!" He said, guns blazing. Mercedes let out some frustrated air, that lifted the side of her bang.

"You made it clear you didn't want to be my friend, remember?"

"Only because I can't help but want more from you." Sam said with his hands, trying to keep himself from holding her.

**[Rachel]**

_I run to the river and dive straight in_  
_I pray that the water will drown out the din_  
_But as the water fills my mouth_  
_It couldn't wash the echoes out_  
_But as the water fills my mouth_  
_It couldn't wash the echoes out_

"It has to be all or nothing because I can't just be your friend anymore, Mercedes." Sam looked so hopeless and so sad that it had Mercedes on the brink of tears.

"Don't you think I've tried to just ignore this? That I've tried to just leave it alone? It's like .. " He shook his head, shaking out all of the phrases that weren't good enough to say. "It's like there are my days where, I can be happy for Puck and be glad that he found someone to care for. Then, I remember that person is you and I get sick. Like, physically my whole body aches to the point I feel like I'll combust. I get sick when he talks about you. I get sick when he looks at you ... " Sam was stalking closer to Mercedes, with his fists balled up. He was inching near and Mercedes almost began to shake with anticipation, like a bottle rocket.

**[Rachel]**  
_I swallow the sound and it swallows me whole_  
_Till there's nothing left inside my soul_  
_As empty as that beating drum_  
_But the sound has just begun_

"I - I get sick when I think about him touching you with his hands." Sam closed the gap and hovered around her body, connecting their foreheads. "I would give _anything_ just to be your friend again."

"Sam - " She tried to resist and push him away but he grabbed her wrists, gently enough so if she really wanted to pull away, she could.

"No, no Mercedes, look," He spoke softly to her lips, "I fucked up. I thought that I could do this and not get attached. When I did, I thought I could ignore you and my feelings would go away. Neither worked out for me. So, if you can honestly tell me that you ... that you don't love me and that I don't have any kind of shot here, I will give up. I will walk around campus, lonely and miserable, respecting your relationship with Puck. I will give up."

**[Rachel]**

_(Ooh, ahh ...)_

**[Quinn]**

_There's a drumming noise inside my head_  
_That starts when you're around_  
_I swear that you could hear it_  
_It makes such an all mighty sound_

**[Quinn & Santana]**  
_There's a drumming noise inside my head_  
_That starts when you're around_  
_I swear that you could hear it_  
_It makes such an all mighty sound_

Mercedes looked at him with watered eyes, "I do love you." Sam beamed with joy until she said to herself, "But I love Puck too. I love you both. Although, I want to be with you Sam, I really do, I can't just leave Puck. He hasn't done anything to deserve it. It wouldn't be right."

**[Rachel]**

_(Ooh, ahh ...)_

**[Girls' Choir]**

_Louder than sirens_  
_Louder than bells_  
_Sweeter than heaven_  
_And hotter than hell_

_Louder than sirens_  
_Louder than bells_  
_Sweeter than heaven_  
_And hotter than hell ..._

**[The Drum Line]**

_(Oh, oh, oh)_

The boys of the Drum Line told Schuester that they weren't singers, but he insisted that he needed everyone's help during this number. Besides, anything was better then having to work with the Boys' Choir again. This way, no one could take away shine from the girls.

Sam shut his eyes, hurting from his core for himself, Mercedes and even Puck. The one-time innocent was completely oblivious to the situation and it sucked because it was all for his protection, but Mercedes and Sam had to be the casualties.

"So .." He finally said as Mercedes whimpered, "Where does that leave me?" Mercedes let out a sob and looked down, shaking her head.

Sam gritted his teeth and let her go. He was quickly striding to the door of the cafeteria. Mercedes wanted to call out to him but couldn't speak.

As Sam opened the door with a force, he saw Kurt on the other end. Kurt saw the both of them leave and wanted to find Mercedes if he could, to check on her. The two made short eye contact before Sam hastily passed him. Kurt could've sworn he saw a tear coming down his cheek.

"Mercedes?" Kurt carefully entered the cafeteria to see his friend holding herself and crying. Naturally, he ran to her and swept her up in his arms. He cooed and rubbed her back delicately, like a newborn.

"Thank Gaga for summer break, huh?" Kurt joked. Mercedes made a tiny laugh and he kissed her forehead. "We don't need anymore drama this year. No ma'am."

**[The Drum Line]**

_(Oh, oh, oh ...)_

**[The Girls' Choir]**

_As I move my feet towards your body_  
_I can hear this beat it fills my head up_  
_And gets louder and louder_  
_It fills my head up and gets louder and louder ..._

The Girls' Choir stood still at the climax of their epic performance to a rave reaction. The girls bowed and of course, Rachel singled herself out from the rest of the group and took one more bow then she should have. The audience was still applauding, not really for the girls but for the closing to another school year. Summer has officially begun.

**End of Part One.**

* * *

**A/N: This is a Samcedes fic. Of course I wouldn't end the series without them being endgame. Look out for The Tutor 2 in spring/summer of 2013 (assuming we're all still alive).**

**Thank you all so much for your reviews and support of this story. You'll never know how much it means to me. See you soon. Love, CTBM.**


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